Sandy’s danger not yet over, Pinoys told

NOTE: Filipinos who may require assistance due to Hurricane Sandy may call the Duty Officer of the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C at 202-368-2767 or the Consulates General in New York (917-294-0196) or Chicago (312-501-6458).

MANILA, Philippines – The danger is not yet over.

This is the message of the Philippine embassy in the United States for Filipinos in the US East Coast as superstorm Sandy moves over to the Great Lakes region on its way to Canada.

“Sandy is a disaster still ongoing,” Ambassador Jose Cuisia Jr said in a press statement from the embassy. “We would like to remind our kababayans, particularly those in New Jersey and New York, to remain in their homes until such time that authorities say that it is safe for them to venture out.”

The embassy said there are no reports yet of Filipino citizens who were injured or killed in the storm, which bore down on the east coast Monday, October 29.

They don’t have the exact figures yet, but the embassy and the Consulate General in New York said they received reports of Filipinos evacuated in New Jersey and New York states, Consul General Mario de Leon was quoted as saying.

There were also reports of damaged homes owned by Filipinos, as well as citizens having problems with water supply and communication lines in New York and Connecticut.

Filipino community leaders are in touch with the Embassy and Consulate General, and the Philippine posts are still monitoring the situation on a 24-hour basis.

Cuisia urged the Filipino community to continue heeding local authorities, and advised them to wait in their homes until basic services such as transport and electricity are restored.

On the other hand, Filipinos in the Great Lakes region, particularly in Ohio and Michigan, are urged to heed warnings and prepare for the onslaught of the superstorm, Chicago Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim said.

The Washington, DC area, where the embassy is located, “appeared to have been spared” by Sandy, and work is expected to resume Wednesday, October 31. – Rappler.com

NOTE: Filipinos who may require assistance due to Hurricane Sandy may call the Duty Officer of the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C at 202-368-2767 or the Consulates General in New York (917-294-0196) or Chicago (312-501-6458).