Malacañang confirmed Thursday that no Filipino casualties have been reported following the devastating flash floods and mudslides along the Nepal-Tibet border, which claimed at least 165 lives and flattened entire villages.
Citing official morning data from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed that government agencies are actively monitoring the situation on the ground.
“Nakikipag-coordinate na ang pamahalaan sa Nepalese authorities and with the Filipino community to determine if there are Filipinos affected by the incident,” Castro said during a press briefing.
Latest government records indicate that Nepal is currently home to 18 overseas Filipino workers and 128 Filipino residents, most of whom are women married to Nepalese citizens.
Expressing sympathies on behalf of the administration, Castro urged the public to offer prayers for the victims of the calamity.
“Ang pamahalaan po, ang administrasyon sa pangunguna po ng ating Pangulo ang kaniyang mensahe ay nakakalungkot ang ganitong pangyayari at patuloy nating ipagdasal ang maging magandang kondisyon ng mga tao na naapektuhan ng kalamidad sa Nepal,” Castro added.
As search and rescue operations intensified on Thursday, emergency workers raced against time to locate more than 1,000 missing individuals, including numerous foreign tourists caught in the deluge.
The catastrophic surge—believed by the U.S. Geological Survey to have been triggered by a massive glacial collapse—unleashed a torrent of mud and debris that swept away vehicles and leveled multi-storey buildings along the Trishuli and Bhote Koshi rivers.
Nepali police confirmed that 162 bodies have been recovered as search efforts continue.