Manila: The Philippines is actively monitoring the situation of its citizens in Papua New Guinea following a magnitude 6.7 earthquake that struck Lae, the country’s second-largest city, on October 7. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has assured that the Filipino community in and around Lae City remains unharmed by the seismic event.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DFA released a statement confirming the safety of Filipinos in the affected regions. The report, citing the Philippine Embassy in Port Moresby, noted that no damage was reported in Lae, and all Filipino residents are accounted for and safe. The DFA emphasized its ongoing efforts to monitor the situation in coordination with the embassy.

Further details from the Philippine Embassy in Port Moresby indicated that the capital city also experienced a magnitude 5.0 earthquake on the same day. The latest data from the DFA reveals that approximately 36,000 Filipinos reside and work across Papua New Guinea.

In a separate event, the DFA confirmed that no Filipino nationals were among those stranded during a blizzard on Mt. Everest. The severe snowstorm over the Tibetan slopes left nearly a thousand hikers trapped over the weekend, leading to extensive rescue operations. Local reports have confirmed at least one fatality. As of Wednesday, all stranded individuals have been successfully rescued and relocated to safety in Qudeng Township and nearby areas.