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.