Cut communication lines hamper news of Pinoys in tornado-hit Alabama

Filipinos in the tornado-stricken Alabama are worried about their fellow countrymen currently staying in the United States, saying that cut phone lines and power lines make it difficult for them to contact each other and love ones back home in the Philippines. The latest toll inflicted by the second deadliest tornado outbreak on record in the United States now stands at 350 after towering twisters hit seven southern states. Alabama, the hardest-hit state, revised down its fatalities to 250 on Saturday (Sunday, Manila time) after initially reporting 255 dead. At least 100 more deaths were reported in Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Virginia and Louisiana. On Friday (Saturday, Manila time), the tornadoes spared the city of Atlanta but tore through Tuscaloosa, a city of 83,000 residents. “Wala kaming balita sa mga kababayan na taga-Tuscaloosa kasi walang telepono. Mahirap yung Internet connection kasi walang ilaw. Nagkaroon ng total blackout sa northern part ng Alabama (No news yet from Filipinos in Tuscaloosa because the telephones are down. Also no Internet connection due to the total power blackout in northern Alabama)," said Norberto Irandio in a phone-patch interview on Saturday on GMA News TV’s Balitanghali. Irandio is a Filipino graduate student studying at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama, on a Fulbright fellowship. He lives with his Filipino foster family at Madison, Alabama, a small town near Huntsville. “Wala naman kaming naririnig na mga Pinoy na naapektuhan dito sa Huntsville ewan lang namin sa Tuscaloosa, kasi [doon] yung may pinakagrabeng napinsala ng tornado (Haven’t heard so far about any Filipino in Huntsville having been badly affected, but we don’t know about those in Tuscaloosa where the tornado damage is severe)," he added. Alabama Governor Robert Bentley released on Saturday (Sunday, Manila time) an Emergency Management Agency statement putting the “Number of weather related fatalities" at 250. Tuscaloosa reported 39 fatalities. President Barack Obama described the loss of life as “heartbreaking" and called the damage to homes and businesses “nothing short of catastrophic." Philippine embassy, honorary consulate “The Philippine Embassy in Washington has made inquiries on the situation of Filipinos residing in the affected areas. The Miami Regional Office of the US State Department informed the embassy that it has not received any information on reported fatalities of foreigners in the affected areas. The Philippine Embassy has directed the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Atlanta to extend all possible assistance to any affected Filipino there," said Philippine Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Ed Malaya in a text message sent to GMA News on April 30. The Miami Regional Office of the Office of Foreign Missions provides services and liaison to foreign officials and honorary consuls who are accredited by the US Department of State assigned within southeast states such as Alabama. “Wala pa pong tulong (Help hasn’t arrived)," said Irandio. “Wala pa akong naririnig na galing sa ating embahada na nagtatanong o nagbibigay ng tulong sa Alabama (I have not heard from the Philippine Embassy, be it inquiries or assistance regarding Filipinos here in Alabama)." “Fortunately, lahat ng estudyante sa (all the students in) Alabama binigyan kami ng [were given] free meal, breakfast, lunch, dinner [and] free snacks," he added. Asked if he had any message for his loved ones back in the Philippines, Irandio said he wanted to tell them not to worry. “Huwag po sila mag-alala dahil we're safe and sound dito sa Alabama. Okay na po kami, waiting for the power to be back tapos yung telepono at internet. Magsesend na lang po kami ng mensahe sa Facebook, email after this," he said. (No need to worry because we’re safe and sound here in Alabama. We’re okay, waiting for the power to be back. After telephone and internet services return, we will send Facebook messages and email.) — With an update from Reuters