“Nangangatog ako sa nerbiyos (I was shaking in fear),” was how Ursula Guila, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) described how she felt after Beirut, Lebanon was rocked by two enormous blasts on Tuesday.
(Anwar AMRO / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
In an interview with CNN Philippines, Ursula Guila said she still has shards of glass in her face since she has yet to receive treatment from a hospital for her injuries from the blast.
“Pumunta ako ng hospital, puro puno ang hospital. Talagang grabe, madaming sugatan, so ginawa ko na lang umuwi na lang ako, inisip ko na ako na lang gagamot sa sarili ko kasi mas marami pang sugatan kesa sa akin (I went to the hospital, but it was overwhelmed with injured patients. Since there were still a lot of patients which needed urgent attention, I decided to just go back home and treat myself),” Guila, who works as a domestic helper in Beirut, said.
Guila sustained injuries in her face and arms. Her employers were also injured and only received first aid after going to three hospitals.
The OFW said she woke up at around 6 p.m. on August 4 to check her “alaga” (child ward) when she saw a white smoke from the window.
She went close to the window and opened it to check what was happening.
“Pag bukas ko, sumunod na ‘yung itim na usok. Doon na ako napalipad, napatilapon, di ko na alam kung anong sumunod na nangyari basta ang alam ko bumagsak ako sa sahig (When I opened the window, I saw a cloud of black smoke, and then I was thrown off my feet. I was no longer aware of what happened. The next thing I knew, I was already on the floor),” she shared.
Guila said she got up and saw blood dripping on the floor from her face and arms.
“Hinipo ko yung mukha ko, puro dugo pala. Wala akong naramdaman nung mga oras na yon (I didn’t know I was bleeding until I touched my face and saw blood because I felt numb during the explosion),” she said.
Guila said most of the Filipinos in Beirut whom she knows are okay. She said she saw one Filipino who was also injured and they went together to the hospital.
The two enormous blasts in Beirut have killed more than 70 people and injured thousands as of this writing.
READ MORE: More Filipino casualties reported in Beirut twin explosions, Two huge Beirut explosions kill 73, injure thousands