Date: March 16, 2011
The Philippine government urged Filipinos in quake-hit Japan to voluntarily leave if they feel current situation there threatens their health and safety.
The Philippines raised Tuesday the consular alert in Japan to level 2, meaning movement of Filipinos in Japan are restricted to only those who are absolutely essential.
Japan was struck by a 9.0 magnitude quake, which was followed by 10-meter high tsunami that swept Japan's coastal towns in the north on Friday, leaving hundreds of people dead and scores missing. No Filipino was among the list of injured or fatalities.
A nuclear crisis is also threatening the health and safety of people living in the area as radiation has spread from the four reactors of the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant, which was damaged by the quake.
"We are urging Filipinos who are within the 20-kilometer radius of the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power to evacuate immediately, if they have not done so, and those within the 21-to 30-kilometer radius of the plant to stay indoors, as ordered by Japanese authorities," Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rafael Seguis said in a press briefing.
Seguis also advised Filipinos living within or near the plant to observe the 10-kilometer exclusion zone imposed by Japanese authorities. Japanese officials said that they have evacuated those within the exclusion zones, and are constantly monitoring radiation levels.