THE Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC said on Friday that no Filipinos were reported injured after Hurricane Milton hit Florida.
“For now, we have not received any reports of Filipinos, our fellow countrymen, being hurt or killed due to the impact of Hurricane Milton,” said Consul General Donna Rodriguez in an interview.
The embassy and local government advised residents to evacuate their homes due to Milton’s threat. The storm is expected to pass through the areas of Tampa Bay and Orlando.
There are approximately 178,000 Filipinos in Florida. Out of the total Filipino population, 34,000 are in Tampa Bay and 23,000 are in Orlando.
Rodriguez mentioned that the embassy is coordinating with leaders of the Filipino community in Florida.
The Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC will provide assistance to affected Filipinos upon their request as the local government is expected to provide them with aid, Rodriguez said.
Reuters reported that at least 10 people died while millions experienced power outages after Milton’s onslaught in Florida.
US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a White House briefing that the 10 deaths could be due to tornadoes.
More than 3.2 million homes and businesses are without power, according to PowerOutage.us.
Governor Ron DeSantis said the state is avoiding the “worst-case scenario,” although he warned that significant damage remains and flooding remains a concern.
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