300 Pinoys in Calgary evacuated due to flooding

Some 300 Filipinos living in and near the flood-stricken Canadian city of Calgary were evacuated, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Tuesday, adding that no Filipino was hurt in the calamity.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez said most of the Filipinos are temporary workers employed in oil fields and are residents of nearby city of High River.

“There have been no reports of death or injury, only relocation of affected individuals and families. Those forcibly evacuated were allowed to bring only one backpack for their belongings,” Hernandez told a press briefing.

There is an estimated 30,000 population of Filipino descent and around 5,000 foreign temporary workers in the affected areas.

Filipino community leaders in Calgaryare providing assistance to the affected workers, giving out supplies like rice and other necessities and offering shelters.

Hernandez said Philippine Honorary Consul General Ferdinand Aguirre is also in close coordination with the community leaders and in touch with local authorities to ensure that Filipinos in the affected areas are safe and accounted for.

Hernandez said the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver will send a consular mission to assist the affected Filipinos and provide passport services to those who lost their documents in the flood. - VVP, GMA News

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