The Department of Foreign Affairs Manila announced that there are no reports of any Filipino casualties in the powerful earthquake that struck Mexico on September 8.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said the Philippine Embassy in Mexico has reported it didn’t receive any report of killed or injured Filipino in the earthquake.
The earthquake, which had a preliminary magnitude of 8.0 according to the U.S. Geological Survey, has killed at least 61 people. This is the strongest earthquake felt by Mexicans in a century.
Cayetano said the Embassy is currently in touch with the Honorary Consuls and Filipino community leaders in the affected areas to make sure that 630 Filipinos living there are safe from the earthquake.
“We stand ready to provide the necessary assistance to overseas Filipinos affected by the earthquake. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Mexico and the other countries affected by the magnitude 8.2 earthquake,” CNN Philippines quoted Cayetano.
Cayetano also said Philippines Ambassador to Mexico Eduardo de Vega was not hurt by the quake despite being near the epicenter of the earthquake.
“We are also thankful that Ambassador De Vega was unhurt despite the close call he had in Oaxaca,” he said.
De Vega was attending a welcome dinner hosted by the governor of Oaxaca and was just arriving at the lobby of the hotel when the earthquake struck.
Photo credit: Reuters
