4 Filipino climbers rescued after Sabah quake

At least four Filipino climbers on Mount Kinabalu in Sabah were rescued after a magnitude-6.0 earthquake hit the area Friday morning.

In a statement released Saturday afternoon, the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur identified the Filipino climbers as Mary Nicole Gail Angeles, Kenneth Cueto Almonte, Anna Rose Gumantaron, and Michael William Echevarria.

Foreign and local tourists were stuck on the 4,095-meter (13,435 feet) Mount Kinabalu when the struck some 54 km (33 miles) away from Sabah capital Kota Kinabalu.

The statement said majority of the rescued climbers were Malaysians, along with 38 Singaporeans, three British, four Thais, and at least one each from Turkey, China, and Japan.

It added that rescue efforts are still ongoing for the other trapped tourists.

Meanwhile, the statement said the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has been in contact with the Filipino community in the area to monitor their situation after the earthquake.

"As of the moment, the Embassy has not received news of any Filipino adversely affected by the earthquake. Nevertheless, we are closely monitoring developments and stands ready to provide assistance," said Vice Consul Francis Herrera. — Amanda Fernandez/LBG, GMA News

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