Hundreds of Nepalis have been stranded in Lebanon as heavy bombardment by Israel on Lebanese territory entered into the tenth consecutive day on Friday.

Talking to Nepalnews, spokesperson at the Foreign Ministry Yadav Khanal said that the government was making plan to rescue stranded Nepali workers.

He said that the Ministry had directed the Nepali consulate office in Lebanon to assess the situation and start work towards rescuing Nepalis working there.

BBC online quoted Gopal Ghimire, a Nepali national, as saying that his employers had abandoned half a dozen Nepali workers including him without two months’ salary.

Israelis continue bombardment of Beirut.
(Photo source : AP)
“I’m angry with the consulate because they aren’t providing us with an opportunity to leave,” the news portal quoted him as saying, adding, “If they don’t get us out of here, we might die here in Lebanon.”

However, spokesman Khanal said that the consulate would provide necessary help for Nepali workers wishing to return from the country.

Radio reports say as many as fifty Nepalis have contacted the consulate so far seeking help for evacuation.

According to Foreign Ministry sources, more than 4,000 Nepalis are working in various parts of Lebanon.

Worried about safety of their nationals currently in Lebanon, many countries have dispatched ships and aircraft to evacuate them. Reports say some Nepalis have managed to escape from Lebanon in a ship sent by the Indian government..

On Wednesday, thousands of Europeans, Americans and some other foreign nationals boarded ships taking them to safety.

Though there has been no report of casualty of Nepalis working there, the situation is getting worse after Israel warned that it would launch more deadly attacks after Saturday.

Six Nepalis (including three women) – most of them from Pokhara working in Beirut as housemaids – have left for Cyprus in an Indian navy ship. Many Nepalis are reportedly stranded as they don’t have sufficient fund for traveling.

The crisis was triggered by the capture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah militants on 12 July.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the number of Lebanese killed in the 10 days of violence was more than 330. According to the BBC, thirty-four Israelis have been killed in the fighting, including 15 civilians killed by rockets fired by Hezbollah into Israel.