President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday offered his deepest condolences to the people of Nepal and those impacted by a catastrophic flash flood along the Nepal-Tibet border, which has left dozens dead and hundreds missing.
“Our deepest sympathies go out to those who lost family, loved ones and friends. Please accept our most heartfelt prayers for strength in this difficult time,” President Marcos said in a statement posted on social media.
The disaster struck the high-altitude Himalayan region on Wednesday when a massive glacier collapse triggered a sudden ice-rock avalanche and wall of water along the Lhende Khola and Bhote Koshi rivers. Over 160 deaths have been confirmed across the affected region, while authorities continue searching for upwards of a thousand missing individuals, mostly foreign tourists and religious pilgrims.
Despite initial fears that a Filipino national was among those unaccounted for, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed during a noon briefing that no Filipino casualties have been reported so far.
Citing updates from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Castro noted that there are at least 128 Filipinos residing in Nepal, most of whom are married to Nepalese nationals, alongside 18 documented overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
“According to the DFA, there are no reported Filipino casualties as of this morning,” Castro said, adding that no overseas Filipinos have been verified as impacted by the calamity as of the briefing.
Castro assured the public that the Philippine government is actively coordinating with Nepalese authorities and local Filipino community organizations to continuously verify the safety of all nationals in the country.
“The administration, led by our President, views this event with sadness, and we continue to pray for the well-being of those affected by the calamity in Nepal,” Castro added.