The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), through the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, announced that they have not received any reports of Filipinos hurt following the magnitude 7.5 earthquake that struck off Japan’s northeastern coast.
In a statement on Tuesday, December 9, the DFA confirmed that the embassy is closely monitoring developments related to the earthquake.
“At this time, the Embassy has not received any reports of Filipino casualties. The Embassy and the Migrant Workers Office in Tokyo continue to coordinate with their contacts in the Filipino and local communities to ascertain the condition of our nationals,” the statement read.
The department also advised Filipinos to stay alert, follow safety instructions from local authorities, and prepare for possible aftershocks.
“Filipinos who require assistance or wish to report affected relatives may contact the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo through its emergency hotline (+81 80-4928-7979) and official social media channels,” it added.
Reports indicate that on Monday, December 8, a powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake shook northeastern Japan, prompting evacuation orders for approximately 90,000 residents and issuing tsunami warnings.
As of the morning of December 9, tsunami advisories in the affected areas have been lifted.
The seven prefectures affected are in northern Japan: Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, and Fukushima. The latest estimates suggest that around 13,000 Filipinos reside in these prefectures.
