DMW: Pinoys hurt in Taiwan quake rise to 9

The number of overseas Filipinos hurt in the earthquake that struck Taiwan last week rose to nine, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said Monday.

As of April 8, the DMW said the hurt Filipinos sustained minor to light injuries from the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the island on April 3— the strongest tremor to hit Taiwan in about 25 years.

The OFWs received medical attention and were recovering in their dormitories. Their condition was likewise being monitored by the Migrant Workers Department.

Meanwhile, the DMW would deploy a six-man team to Taiwan to address the needs of at least 5,000 earthquake-hit Filipinos, including psycho-social support.

The agency was also coordinating with the Manila Economic and Cultural Office to extend assistance to the OFWs.

The death toll from the earthquake rose to 12 as of April 5, according to a Reuters report. The number of missing victims was 13.

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. had said that the government was ready to help Filipinos in Taiwan who were affected by the earthquake.

The Social Security System (SSS) was also preparing a calamity loan assistance program for OFW members affected by the earthquake in Taiwan.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is prone to earthquakes.

More than 100 people were killed in a 2016 quake in its south, while a 1999 magnitude 7.3 quake killed more than 2,000. — DVM, GMA Integrated News