No Filipino casualties in magnitude 5.9 quake in western Japan

June 18, 2018

No Filipino was reported killed in a magnitude 5.9 earthquake that hit western Japan early Monday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement.

The DFA has expressed its condolences to Japan after three persons were killed and dozens injured.

The DFA has not received reports of casualties among the 16,295 members of the Filipino community in the Kansai Region, which was in the immediate epicenter of the earthquake.

“We express our condolences to the Government of Japan over the loss of lives in this morning’s earthquake in the Kansai Region,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said.

“We hope and pray that loss of lives and damage to property would be minimal,” Cayetano said.

The DFA said the Philippine Consulate General in Osaka has advised members of the Filipino Community in the prefectures of Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, and Shiga to be on alert for aftershocks and avoid unnecessary travel

The Consulate General has also advised the Filipino community to continue monitoring disaster-related information and heed the calls of authorities in their respective areas.

In her report to Secretary Cayetano, Consul General Maria Aileen Bugarin said all consulate personnel were safe.

Bugarin said Japanese authorities are still assessing the damage caused by the tremor and safety checks were being conducted in the building where the consulate is located.  DMS