249 foreigners killed by quake

249 foreigners killed by quake

TOKYO (AFP): At least 249 foreign residents from 11 countries were killed in the earthquake which devastated Kobe and surrounding areas one month ago, local authorities said yesterday.

Among them were 144 North and South Koreans, and 46 Chinese, said officials of Hyogo prefecture which covers most of the affected region.

Other overseas victims included seven from Brazil, three from Myanmar, two each from the Philippines and the United States and one from Algeria, Australia, Peru and Switzerland.

The nationalities of the remainder are still unknown, a month after the temblor struck western Japan, killing 5,378 people, the authorities added.

More than 99,000 foreigners from about 100 countries live in the prefecture as registered aliens, but thousands of illegal foreign residents are also believed to be in the area.