No Pinoys hurt in California quake –DFA

No Filipinos were hurt in Sunday's 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Napa in California, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.

"According to our Consulate General in San Francisco, they have not received any report of Filipinos affected by the earthquake in California," said DFA spokesman Charles Jose.

Still, Jose said the consulate is encouraging Filipinos in the affected area "to practice extreme caution during an earthquake or its ensuing aftershocks in order to reduce the risk of injury or death."

The temblor, the biggest in California in 25 years, damaged historic buildings, set some homes on fire and caused power and water outages around picturesque Napa, a famous wine-producing region and tourist destination.

There were no known fatalities, but three people were seriously injured, including a child who suffered multiple fractures after a fireplace fell on him, according to a Reuters report.

Jose said the consulate is closely coordinating with city officials and Filipino community leaders to monitor the situation of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans. A 24-hour emergency hotline has also been activated by the Philippine Consulate in San Francisco.

Filipino Rj Payomo, who was in Napa for a wedding, described the earthquake as "an up-down motion, like the movement of the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland."

"I instinctively covered my head and got in a fetal position. It sounded like a tank driving through the building, like machinery grinding through a mountain. I will never forget the sound," she said in a Facebook post. —KBK, GMA News

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