The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirms that no Filipino was harmed during the magnitude 6.8 earthquake that took place in Taiwan last Sunday, September 18.
DMW Secretary Susan Ople directed the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and other authorities to provide frequent updates on the situation to help ease the worries of families of OFWs back home.
“I would like to assure our over 147,000 OFWs in Taiwan and their families that the DMW is ready to provide the needed assistance, particularly for those who have been affected by the earthquake,” said Ople.
Ople reported no known Filipino casualties or damage to OFW labor sites or dorms as of Monday midday, although tremors and aftershocks persist.
The DMW Secretary is currently in the United States as part of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s formal delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit 42.7 kilometers north of Taitung County Hall at 2:44 p.m. on Sunday, at a depth of 7 kilometers (4.4 miles). Taitung and Hualien counties experience Intensity Level, causing significant damage. According to Taiwan News, Sunday’s quake is the strongest to hit Taiwan in the previous 48 hours, following a 5.9 magnitude quake at 1:19 p.m. and a 6.4 magnitude quake on Saturday night.
147 aftershocks were detected around the country by the Central Weather Bureau. As of this report, one person has died, 146 have been injured, and over 500 people have been trapped in eastern Taiwan due to landslides.
