DMW checks on Filipinos in central Japan after magnitude 5.7 earthquake injures 22
The Department of Migrant Workers said its Tokyo offices were coordinating with the Philippine Embassy to determine the condition of Filipinos after a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck central Japan early on Sunday, 8 November, injuring at least 22 people.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is monitoring the safety of overseas Filipino workers in central Japan after a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the region at 1:04am on Sunday, 8 November, leaving at least 22 people injured, The Filipino Times reported on 9 November.
The DMW said its Migrant Workers Office (MWO) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Tokyo were coordinating with the Philippine Embassy and Japanese authorities to determine the condition of Filipinos in the affected areas, and assessing whether any Filipino workers or their families needed assistance. According to The Filipino Times, the DMW had not reported any Filipino casualties or injuries in its advisory, and monitoring and verification were continuing.
What happened
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the quake was centred in Shizuoka Prefecture. Tremors were felt in Hamamatsu and parts of Aichi, Kyoto, Nara, Yamanashi and Gifu, several smaller aftershocks followed, and no tsunami warning was issued.
The strongest shaking, upper 5 on Japan's seismic intensity scale, was recorded in Chita, Aichi Prefecture, The Star reported. Nineteen people were injured in Aichi and three in Shizuoka, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, and the JMA said it was the first time an earthquake registering upper 5 or stronger had struck Aichi since March 1997.
Buildings, businesses and schools were damaged. Most of the windows at a car dealership in Toyohashi were shattered, books fell from shelves at a bookstore in Toyota, and an elementary school in Higashiura closed on Monday for safety inspections after a large glass block fell from a second-floor classroom.
Safety advice for Filipinos in the area
The JMA urged residents to remain vigilant for earthquakes of similar strength over the following week. Filipinos living and working in central Japan and nearby areas were advised to remain alert for possible aftershocks and follow safety instructions issued by Japanese authorities, The Filipino Times reported. The DMW also encouraged residents to:
- Prepare emergency supplies.
- Identify evacuation areas.
- Avoid locations vulnerable to landslides or falling rocks, particularly during rainfall.
Key facts
- The earthquake struck at 1:04am on Sunday, 8 November, centred in Shizuoka Prefecture, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
- Nineteen people were injured in Aichi Prefecture and three in Shizuoka Prefecture, The Star reported, citing the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
- The DMW said its Migrant Workers Office and OWWA in Tokyo were coordinating with the Philippine Embassy and Japanese authorities to determine the condition of Filipinos in the affected areas.
- Filipinos in central Japan were advised to remain alert for possible aftershocks and follow safety instructions issued by Japanese authorities.
Official sources
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