30 Pinoys stranded in Fukushima: embassy official
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MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Embassy in Japan on Sunday confirmed that 30 Filipino seafarers are currently stranded at a hotel in Fukushima with no food, water and electricity.
"We are very certain there are Filipinos in the Fukushima area... As a matter of fact, we just advised the [Department of] Foreign Affairs [about them]," said Manolo Lopez, the country's ambassador to Japan, in an interview on ANC's “Headlines” on Sunday morning.
He said they are now "billeted in a hotel… although there is no food, water and electricity."
Lopez assured that the embassy is working to get them out of the area as soon as possible and bring them to "some other safer place."
"We have advised the authorities how to get them out of there. Maybe [bring them to] Tokyo or some other safer place. Ito ang ating priority ngayon," he said.
He added: "Individually, I think it would be very difficult for them to make their way out. The roads going to these areas are not yet open for regular traffic."
Lopez said water and electricity in many parts of Tokyo have not been restored and food supplies are dwindling.
'No Pinoy casualty yet'
Lopez also said that, as of the moment, he has not received reports of Filipino casualties in the Japan quake.
He said the embassy is "planning to send a team next week… as soon as given a clearance to check the other areas of northeastern part of Japan."
"The Internet seems to be the most efficient way of communicating with our kababayans in that area because telecommunications are still very poor," he added.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are a total of 305,972 Filipinos in Japan.
Last Friday, an 8.9-magnitude earthquake shook Japan, causing a massive tsunami that engulfed towns and cities on Japan's northeastern coast.
The earthquake was the fifth most powerful to hit the world in the past century.
It also damaged Japan’s nuclear plant. The government has already ordered an evacuation for tens of thousands of residents living 20 kilometers around the Fukushima plant.
Appeal for help
Meanwhile, a Filipino living in Tokyo said she received an email from a sibling of one of the 30 Filipino seafarers stranded in Fukushima.
Olive Akatsu said she called the Philippine embassy to report the matter, and was told that embassy personnel are already coordinating with local officials to enter Fukushima.
Akatsu, who has been living in Japan for 23 years, also recounted to ANC her ordeal during Friday's quake. Akatsu was on the 25th floor of a building when the quake happened.
"Kinakabahan ako nang husto at sa palagay ko babagsak na ‘yong buong building sa lakas ng tunog at uga na nararamdaman namin noong time na ‘yon. Wala na akong ginawa kundi magdasal at manalangin," she said, adding:
"Inaalala ko ‘yong mga kamag-anak ko, wala ako sa pamilya ko noong time na ‘yon kaya sila ang nasa isip ko."
Akatsu advised Filipinos with friends or relatives in Japan to contact the Philippine embassy to check on their condition. –Reports from ANC, Agence France-Presse and Reuters
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Embassy in Japan on Sunday confirmed that 30 Filipino seafarers are currently stranded at a hotel in Fukushima with no food, water and electricity.
"We are very certain there are Filipinos in the Fukushima area... As a matter of fact, we just advised the [Department of] Foreign Affairs [about them]," said Manolo Lopez, the country's ambassador to Japan, in an interview on ANC's “Headlines” on Sunday morning.
He said they are now "billeted in a hotel… although there is no food, water and electricity."
Lopez assured that the embassy is working to get them out of the area as soon as possible and bring them to "some other safer place."
"We have advised the authorities how to get them out of there. Maybe [bring them to] Tokyo or some other safer place. Ito ang ating priority ngayon," he said.
He added: "Individually, I think it would be very difficult for them to make their way out. The roads going to these areas are not yet open for regular traffic."
Lopez said water and electricity in many parts of Tokyo have not been restored and food supplies are dwindling.
'No Pinoy casualty yet'
Lopez also said that, as of the moment, he has not received reports of Filipino casualties in the Japan quake.
He said the embassy is "planning to send a team next week… as soon as given a clearance to check the other areas of northeastern part of Japan."
"The Internet seems to be the most efficient way of communicating with our kababayans in that area because telecommunications are still very poor," he added.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, there are a total of 305,972 Filipinos in Japan.
Last Friday, an 8.9-magnitude earthquake shook Japan, causing a massive tsunami that engulfed towns and cities on Japan's northeastern coast.
The earthquake was the fifth most powerful to hit the world in the past century.
It also damaged Japan’s nuclear plant. The government has already ordered an evacuation for tens of thousands of residents living 20 kilometers around the Fukushima plant.
Appeal for help
Meanwhile, a Filipino living in Tokyo said she received an email from a sibling of one of the 30 Filipino seafarers stranded in Fukushima.
Olive Akatsu said she called the Philippine embassy to report the matter, and was told that embassy personnel are already coordinating with local officials to enter Fukushima.
Akatsu, who has been living in Japan for 23 years, also recounted to ANC her ordeal during Friday's quake. Akatsu was on the 25th floor of a building when the quake happened.
"Kinakabahan ako nang husto at sa palagay ko babagsak na ‘yong buong building sa lakas ng tunog at uga na nararamdaman namin noong time na ‘yon. Wala na akong ginawa kundi magdasal at manalangin," she said, adding:
"Inaalala ko ‘yong mga kamag-anak ko, wala ako sa pamilya ko noong time na ‘yon kaya sila ang nasa isip ko."
Akatsu advised Filipinos with friends or relatives in Japan to contact the Philippine embassy to check on their condition. –Reports from ANC, Agence France-Presse and Reuters
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