OFW narrates Beirut blast experience

An overseas Filipino worker in Lebanon on Wednesday said she now wants to go home after the explosion in Lebanon's capital city Beirut that killed at least 78 people, including Filipinos.

For Mary Antonette Olita of Leyte, the explosion, which killed over 70 people including Filipinos, made her finalize her decision to return to the Philippines.

Olita said she was taking a video of a thick smoke billowing from port warehouses when suddenly a huge explosion occurred.

“Bago ‘yung explosion, nakunan ko po siya ng video hanggang sa pumutok na po siya. Hindi ko na po nakunan ng buo,” she said in an interview on GMA News’ Unang Balita.

She was with a co-worker, her female employer, and three children during the explosion.

Olita said they rushed to the elevator to protect the three children from getting injuries.

“Noong nag-explode po, nagsitakbuhan kami papuntang elevator para maligtas ‘yung mga bata para hindi po masugatan.” 

Earlier, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that two Filipinos died, and six were wounded due to the explosion.

After the Beirut blast, Olita said someone told her that one Filipino died.

“Hindi naman po karamihan sa mga Pilipino nasugatan pero meron pong isang nasawi sa explosion pero hindi ko po siya kilala,” she said.

For Olita, the blast did not seem like it came from firework explosives.

“Ang usap-usapan po kasi ngayon, fireworks lang po daw ang nangyari sa explosion pero parang hindi naman po firework kasi marami pong namatay,” she said.

“Opo (gusto ko nang umuwi) kahit hindi pa po nangyari ito may balak na po talaga akong umuwi sa sobrang krisis na po rito tsaka nadagdagan pa po itong COVID na ‘to, ‘yung pandemic,” she added.

Lebanese authorities are still investigating the cause of the explosion, but said it is likely that highly explosive ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse at a port triggered the blast.

At least 78 people were killed and nearly 4,000 were injured, Reuters reported. —LBG, GMA News