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ShareNEW DELHI: The INS Mumbai will enter Lebanese harbour on Thursday to evacuate some 500 Indians from the strife-torn country.
The INS Mumbai will ferry the Indians to Larnaca in Cyprus, Indian Ambassador Nengbha Lahovum told over phone from Beirut.
About 100 Indians, who had been evacuated since Monday, have reached Syrian capital Damascus by road. There are nearly 12,000 Indian nationals living in Lebanon.
The Indian Naval ship will also ferry people of some other countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal, Lahovum said. There are an estimated one lakh Sri Lankans and Nepalese in Lebanon.
INS Mumbai is among four Naval warships sent to Lebanon to evacuate Indians. Others are INS Betwa, INS Brahmaputra and auxillary tanker INS Shakti.
Over 1,000 others gathered on Wednesday at Beirut jetty to be moved out by the warships.
"It is an evolving situation. Hostilities are taking place and naturally it is a dangerous place," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said in New Delhi.
An advisory has been issued for all the Indians living in Lebanon asking them to be ready to leave.
The government is facilitating evacuation of those who want to move out, he pointed out.
