Azkals safe, offer prayers for Japanese affected by quake

The Philippine Azkals football team, currently training on high ground in Japan, are safe despite the massive earthquake in that country on Friday, according to a tweet by team manager Dan Palami. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a powerful earthquake, measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale, struck Japan Friday afternoon, said to be the biggest to hit that country in around 100 years. The earthquake's epicenter was at sea off Sendai City, two hours north of Tokyo. The Azkals are conducting high-altitude training in Gotemba City (with an elevation of 1,500 feet) in Honshu, on the eastern foot of Mount Fuji, south of Tokyo, Japan. The players been in Japan since Monday as part of their training to acclimatize themselves to the cold Mongolian temperature for their match against the Blue Wolves, the Mongolian national team, on Tuesday, March 15. Palami said in his tweet that airports have been closed and that "hopefully it won't affect flight to Mongolia" on Saturday. The other Azkal team members also tweeted about their condition. Team captain Aly Borromeo said: "Thoughts and prayers go out to all the locals here in Japan, don't worry about the team guys. We're all safe over here!" Defender Anton Del Rosario tweeted: "Just a heads up, we're all okay. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers... We didn't even feel the earthquake. Hopefully we get to make it out to Mongolia on time. Please offer prayers to the people in Japan affected by this tragedy." The USGS estimated the epicenter at 130 kilometers (km) east of Sendai, Honshu; 178 km east of Yamagata, Honshu; 178 km east-northeast of Fukushima, Honshu; or 373 km northeast of Tokyo. According to a Reuters report, the USGS said the quake struck off-shore 81 miles (130 kms) east of Sendai in Honshu at a depth of 15.2 miles (24 kms). The massive earthquake shook buildings in Tokyo, causing "many injuries," at least one fire and triggering a four-meter high (13-ft) tsunami, NHK television and witnesses reported. There was also a warning of a 10-meter high tsunami following the quake. -- with a report from Miakka Lim, GMA News