Pinay dies in Missouri tornado

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipina died in the powerful tornado that struck Joplin town in Missouri on May 22, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

The Philippine consulate general in Chicago identified the victim in its report to the DFA as Grace Aquino.

According to the victim’s daughter Divine, her mother died when the wall of the Harmony Heights Baptist Church collapsed on her as the tornado pummelled Joplin.

The DFA maintains contact with the Aquino family.

“The consulate has conveyed its message of sympathy to Ms. Aquino’s husband Rizaldy, and assured them of our assistance,” Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim said.

He also said that they keep in touch with the Filipino community leaders in Missouri, who informed them that entry to Joplin is restricted to emergency responders who are still conducting search and rescue operations.

“The consulate will send a team to Joplin as soon as the weather conditions settle down in the region and it is safe for travel. Tornados continue to strike in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, and Illinois is under a severe thunderstorm warning,” Herrera-Lim said.

“Nevertheless, we are in contact with the Filipino community in the St. Charles and St. Louis, Missouri area and receive updates from the community, the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the American Red Cross,” he added.

There are about 10,396 Filipinos in Missouri. Most of them are in St. Louis, St. Charles, Fort Leonard Wood, and Blue Springs.

Filipinos who have relatives in Missouri may contact the Missouri SEMA at telephone number (573) 526-9100 and fax number (573) 634-7966, the Office of the Missouri Governor at telephone number (573) 751-3222 or the American Red Cross at telephone number (1-800) 733-2767 or access its website at www.redcross.org.