DFA: No Filipino hurt in wake of Russia earthquake

No Filipinos were hurt after the Magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs has said.

DFA Assistant Secretary Robert Ferrer said that they are monitoring the situation in the areas that raised tsunami alerts following the tremor. 

“Ang affected ng tsunami alerts ay of course eastern coast of Russia, Kamchatka Peninsula, yung ating Filipinos in Hawaii, yung ating Filipinos in New Zealand, and west coast of the United States,” said Ferrer in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing.

(The areas affected by the tsunami alerts are, of course, the eastern coast of Russia, the Kamchatka Peninsula, our Filipinos in Hawaii, our Filipinos in New Zealand, and the west coast of the United States.) 

“But as I speak to you now, bumaba na po yung mga tsunami alert levels, so hindi na po dangerous. Yung pinakamatinding tinamaan ng tsunami is yung eastern coast of Kamchatka Peninsula, where we have seven Filipinos in that area. So kinontact na po ng embahada natin sa Moscow ang mga Filipinos at walang tayong balitang may nasaktan o nasawi, buti na lang,” he added. 

(As I speak to you now, the tsunami alert levels have been lowered, so it's no longer dangerous. The eastern coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula was hit the hardest by the tsunami, and we have seven Filipinos in that area. Our embassy in Moscow has already contacted these Filipinos, and thankfully, we have no reports of injuries or fatalities.) 

The DFA advised Filipinos abroad to always heed the advisories issued by the Philippine embassies. 

In the Philippines, the state seismic bureau, PHIVOLCS, issued tsunami warnings in over 20 provinces, particularly coastal areas on the eastern side of the country facing the Pacific Ocean. But it was eventually lifted after state seismologists did not notice any sea level disturbances. –NB, GMA Integrated News