8 Pinoys trapped in New Zealand quake

MANILA, Philippines - Eight Filipinos were trapped under the rubble of a hospital building that collapsed during a devastating earthquake that struck Christchurch in New Zealand last Tuesday, an official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported yesterday.

The official, who refused to be identified, said relatives of the trapped Filipino nurses have been informed by the DFA.

Sources said some of the Filipino nurses were able to call and send text messages to their relatives in the Philippines.

“One Filipino nurse was able to send a text message to her relatives here and told them that eight of her friends were trapped. Nanduon daw na-trap sa (they were trapped at the) debris and rubble,” the official said.

The DFA said a certain Jay Payot reportedly sustained injuries in his arms, after the earthquake that rocked Christchurch.

“The families of the Filipinos called the DFA to ask help and rescue them,” another official said.

The 6.3-magnitude earthquake had a depth of 5 kilometers and was 10 kilometers southwest of Christchurch, New Zealand’s second biggest city. The tremor struck shortly after noontime, toppling buildings and churches, crushing buses and killing at least 75 people.

The DFA said the Philippine embassy and the Philippine Honorary Consul in Christchurch, Zedric Peter Wait, are closely monitoring the situation at the collapsed buildings.

There are at least 2,000 Filipinos living in Christchurch and nearby areas.

Reports said that damage to buildings and a city bridge made roads impassable. Power is currently down and telephone connections remain sporadic.

A 7.1 earthquake struck the city last September causing widespread damage but only minor injuries.

New Zealand, located between the Pacific and Indo-Australian tectonic plates, has an average of more than 14,000 earthquakes a year, of which about 20 would normally top magnitude 5.0.

DFA spokesperson J. Eduardo Malaya said the Philippine embassy in Wellington has dispatched a two-man team to Christchurch to coordinate with local authorities regarding the status of Filipinos reported to be missing in the aftermath of the earthquake.

The embassy is verifying reports that several Filipinos attending classes at the King’s Education Center were trapped at the CTV building that collapsed during the earthquake. 

Philippine Charge d’Affaires (CDA) Giovanni Palec said that the team will arrive in Christchurch Thursday morning to meet and make arrangements with the Filipino community leaders to provide assistance to Filipinos in their respective areas. 

The team will also distribute water purifying tablets to address the lack of potable water in the area, as well as food provisions. 

The DFA-Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs has set up a hotline for families of Filipinos based in Christchurch. The hotline numbers are 834-4448 and 834-4596.

The New Zealand government helpline (0800 779 997) is operating 24 hours. A Missing Person Enquiry Line has been established for domestic (0800 733 276) and international enquiries (+6478502199). All Child Youth and Family Clients can call 0508-FAMILY (0508 326 459) for assistance with concerns about a child or a young person.