VISAKHAPATNAM: As many as 2,000 Indian students are trapped in the Philippines as there is complete shutdown in its capital Manila in view of the spread of COVID-19. In another blow for the Indian students in Manila, a level-two warning was issued for Taal volcano in the Philippines. Speaking to TNIE over phone, medico Raga Chandana said COVID-19 threat was declared as a national calamity in the Philippines. She said they were worried about double trouble of volcano and coronavirus impact. She along with other students, most of whom are girls, appealed to the Indian government to evacuate them as early as possible.
Chandana said in their college, there are nearly 300 students from AP and TS. She along with her friends chose to stay back in Manila as they could not get tickets to Kuala Lumpur. Since the government has announced that there will be shutdown almost a week ahead, they purchased grocery essentials for one month. “Though we are okay and prepared for our stay in the Philippines, there is growing fear among us due to fast spreading of dreaded coronavirus and the latest volcano threat,” she said.
Madan Mohan of Telugu Exats Association of Malaysia, said there has been sudden spurt in coronavirus cases in Malaysia in the first week of March. This is spreading fast and the entire Malaysia will be locked down for 15 days and it is being enforced strictly. However, no Telugu family is affected as they are prepared for the situation. Sindusha, mother of months-old-baby, from Vizag, who went to Kuala Lumpur for her visa renewal, was held up. Now, she is locked up in Kuala Lumpur while her months-old baby is in Vizag.
She said like her, at least 300 Indians stuck in Kuala Lumpur are eager to come back home. She said they formed a WhatsApp group to share information. “Though there are flights to Thailand, Singapore and Sri Lank from Manila, I am a little bit scared to come via those countries,” Sindusha said.
Though AirAsia operated one flight on Wednesday, it was exclusively for the students trapped at the airport. “I am missing by child. But I chose to stay back as at least I have some shelter whereas the trapped students were literally on the road,” she said. Nagesh, father of Sindusha, urged the government to take the initiative to look into their problem and evacuate Indians from the locked-down country at the earliest.