Thousands of Nepalis stranded in Lebanon

KATHMANDU: Only around half-a-dozen of Nepal's estimated 4,000 nationals in Lebanon have been evacuated with the rest trapped in the country, the head of a Beirut-based non-governmental organisation said on Friday.

Dipendra Upreti, president of the Nepalese Social Service Department, said a handful more were expected to be removed soon.

"So far we have collected 20 passports and they will be evacuated soon," Upreti said by telephone from Beirut.

"Nobody wants to stay here. The situation is really dangerous. We want to request the government in Kathmandu to take the situation seriously. They can't waste any more time."    The majority of the Nepalis in Lebanon work as drivers, guards, labourers, maids and waiters, he said.

Nepal does not have an embassy in Lebanon, and Upreti said the Nepali consular office in Beirut is likely to close early next week.

"As the communication and transportation is getting poor it is getting difficult to gather Nepalis as they are all scattered in different territories," he said.

A foreign ministry spokesman said an official had been sent from Nepal's embassy in Egypt to help in the evacuation and that the Indian government was also assisting.

"We have asked the Indian government and the International Organization of Migrants for evacuation of Nepali workers and they have both responded positively," said Yadav Khanal, a foreign ministry spokesman in Kathmandu.

Estimates put the number of those waiting to escape Israel's assault at up to 57,000 foreign and dual nationals.