7 Pinoy Students Survive West Virginia’s Worst Flooding

Seven Filipino students were among the hundreds affected by the flooding that left 24 dead and hundreds homeless in West Virgina, U.S. last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.

DFA Charles Jose confirmed that the students were on-the-job trainees from the De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB).

Jose said the Philippine Embassy in Washington evacuated the students to a safer area after floods swept the house where they were staying.

Before this, the group sought shelter at a cave near the resort, according to a report from ABS-CBN’s Umagang Kay Ganda.

ABS-CBN’s Jeff Canoy also reported that the students lost all their belongings, including passports and other travel documents in the flood.

DLS-CSB students among those who survived the historic floods; They’re in #WestVirginia for an internship program pic.twitter.com/ahHq9oHzQD

— Jeff Canoy (@jeffcanoy) June 26, 2016

Jose said they continue coordinating with DLS-CSB authorities to help the seven students.

The DFA spokesperson said there were no reports of other Filipinos affected by the flooding.

U.S. President Barack Obama has declared a major disaster for West Virginia and ordered federal aid to affected individuals in Kanawha, Greenbrier and Nicholas counties.

A Reuters report said up to 10 inches (25.4 cm) of rain fell on Thursday in the mountainous state, sending torrents of water from rivers and streams through homes and causing widespread devastation.

West Virginia’s death toll from flooding is the highest for any U.S. state this year.

The state is home to some 3,000 Filipino expatriates. — With a report from Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News

(Source: ABS-CBN.com)