DFA checking for Pinoy casualties in new Japan quake

The Department of Foreign Affairs is checking for possible Filipino casualties in the strong quake that hit Japan Thursday night. A report by radio dzBB's Denver Trinidad Friday noon said the DFA has so far yet to receive reports of any Filipino casualty in the quake. It said the Philippine Embassy is coordinating with Filipino community leaders to see if Filipinos based in Japan are safe. An earlier Reuters report said a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.4 shook the northeast of Japan late on Thursday, and a tsunami warning was issued for the coast already devastated by last month's massive quake and tsunami, which also crippled a nuclear power plant. No damage from Thursday's quake was detected at the plant and NHK said workers had been evacuated without reports of any injuries, the Reuters report added. Last month, two Filipinos had been confirmed killed in the wake of a magnitude-9.0 quake and tsunami that hit Japan last March 11. Japanese authorities said the March quake and tsunami left 28,000 dead or missing. — RSJ, GMA News