MECO: No Filipino Hurt in Taiwan’s 7.2 Magnitude Quake
In an official statement released to the media, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) confirmed that no Filipino national had been reported hurt or among the fatalities following a strong 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Taiwan on Wednesday morning, April 3, 2024.
MECO Chairperson Silvestre Bello II said, “We are thankful that we have not received reports of any of our kababayans (fellow Filipinos) being hurt or badly affected by the powerful earthquake that hit Taiwan this morning.”
Based on our monitoring in Taipei and the reports from our field offices in Taichung and Kaohsiung, and the reports coming from our Filipino communities in Taiwan, there are no Filipino casualties or injuries in the aftermath of the earthquake and the aftershocks,” he added.
Based on official records from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), there are 159,480 Filipinos in Taiwan, 150,666 of whom are overseas Filipino workers.
Taiwan was hit by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake past 7:00 AM on April 3, 2024. The epicenter was recorded some 25 kilometers southeast of Hualien County. This was the strongest tremor to hit the island in over two decades or more than 25 years. The tremor was felt in the capital city of Taipei, as well as in southern Japan, Eastern China, and the Philippines.
Based on initial reports from Taiwan’s local media, at least 711 people were injured, while four died in the mountainous areas of Taiwan. Taipei-based Central News Agency said three of the fatalities were hikers who were struck by falling rocks at the entrance to Taroko Gorge.
Meanwhile, the fire department said 77 people remained trapped, some in collapsed buildings in Hualien. According to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration, the quake was centered just off the east coast of Taiwan at a depth of 15.5 kilometers.
Tsunami Warning Issued
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), a tsunami warning was issued over four areas in Northern Luzon following the strong earthquake in Taiwan. The warning was up over the Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, and Isabela.
PHIVOLCS later lifted the tsunami warning in the Philippines at around 10:33 AM. The warning was released at 8:17 AM. The cancellation stated that “Based on available data of our sea level monitoring stations facing the epicenter area, no significant sea level disturbances have been recorded since 07:58 AM up until this cancellation,” PHIVOLCS said.
Disclaimer: PhilNews.xyz articles and their external content are not financial advice but are only used for educational purposes. Always Do Your Own Research (DYOR) First. Reporting is not endorsing. We are here to deliver unbiased news with less intrusive ads.
