Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Camarines Sur, Batangas, and Cebu shared their experience during the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit Taiwan at about 8 a.m. on April 3, 2024.

Diosa Navales, a native of Camarines Sur currently residing in Taoyuan, Taiwan, found herself in a state of panic as she experienced a powerful earthquake. Despite the chaos, she remained calm and resorted to prayer, hoping for her safety and that of others.

According to Navales, in her seven years of working for a company in Taiwan, this was the strongest earthquake she had ever experienced in the country. She described feeling intense fear while trapped inside a restroom during the tremor.

“So unexpected naman po, di ko naman alam na lilindol nung nasa CR ako… mas intense yung pakiramdam kasi hindi ko ini-expect na ganun kalakas so nandun yung takot – kasi nandun ako sa loob [at] hindi ako makalabas,” Navales said.

Mark Alvin Ravaca and Ronie Mendoza from Batangas, are factory workers in Taiwan. Despite being far from the epicenter, they said that this was the strongest quake they had experienced in their eight years in Taiwan.

“Parang nakasakay ako sa bangka na inuuga… ngayon sobrang lakas ngayon [ng lindol], kasi before parang hindi naman po gaanong kalakas,” Mendoza said.

“Mahina muna nagsimula [yung lindol] tapos hindi nawawala, dire-diretso tapos palakas nang palakas [hanggang] natataranta na ‘yung mga tao, [pero] pinipilit [ko] kumalma gawa ng kahit natatakot na rin po… dito sa aming park may mga tumigil na sasakyan senyales na malakas ang lindol,” Ravaca added.

Despite concerns about aftershocks, both Mendoza and Ravaca reassured their families in the Philippines that they are safe.

"Sa pamilya ko dyan sa Pilipinas, ‘wag po kayo mag-alala, okay naman po kami dito,” Mendoza said.

“Sana po ipagdasal nila hindi lang ako kundi lahat ng mga Pinoy dito na [sana] walang masaktan, sana po’y matapos na [ang mga pagyanig]… kami naman po ay okay na po dito,” Ravaca said.

Further, two OFWs from Cebu experienced the jolt of the magnitude 7.2 earthquake despite living over 200 kilometers away from the epicenter. 

Licah Pableo, a foreign English assistant teacher, said she could attest to the strength of the tremor because she lives about 300 kilometers away from the epicenter but her place was shaken, albeit not as devastating as in Hualien City.

She resides in Pingtung County while the epicenter is in Hualein City on the southern part of Taiwan.

Pableo said that no building was destroyed, or people hurt in Pingtung County compared to the situation in Hualien City. 

As of this writing, seven fatalities were recorded, over 700 persons were reported injured, and close to 30 buildings collapsed in Hualien City.

Penny Ybañez, a caregiver from the Municipality of Barili in Cebu Province, narrated to GMA Regional TV News Balitang Bisdak in a virtual interview that even though she lives far from Hualein, she was still able to feel the jolt.

“Sa twelve years nako diri kadto pa ang pinakakusog,” Ybañez said.

She also called on her family not to worry as she is safe from the quake.

Government agencies continue to monitor the situation to ensure the safety of the approximately 150,000 Filipino workers in Taiwan. The earthquake struck at 7:58 a.m. (PST), setting off alarm bells at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration put the quake’s magnitude at 7.2.

Meanwhile, Japan’s weather agency put the quake’s magnitude at 7.7, and reported several small tsunami waves reaching the southern area of Okinawa.

As for the US Geological Survey, it measured the magnitude of the temblor at 7.4.

Sher Saises, spokesperson of the Office of Civil Defense 8, said the tsunami alert does not include Eastern Visayas.

“Hindi na po kasama ang Eastern Visayas, apparently nagkaroon po ng system error earlier ang Phivolcs, so as 9:10 a.m. po, it is already corrected,” Saises said.

(via GMA Regional TV Balitang Bicolandia, GMA Regional TV Balitang Southern Tagalog, and GMA Regional TV Balitang Bisdak)