Asia-Pacific nations rush to evacuate citizens as Mid-East tensions grow

Philippines, Indonesia, Australia among those working to secure chartered flights

- Mara Cepeda

MANILA - Asia-Pacific nations are rushing to evacuate thousands of their citizens and other residents amid the rapidly escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Officials from countries like the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia said on Oct 2 that they are working to secure chartered flights to bring their people home while Beirut airport remains open.

South Korea, meanwhile, has deployed a military plane to hasten repatriation of its citizens.

The evacuation plans are under way as clashes intensify between Israel and Iran, as well as the Tehran-backed militias Hezbollah and Hamas. On Oct 3, at least nine people were killed after Israel bombed central Beirut.

The Philippine government is chartering flights for more than 1,200 out of 11,000 Filipinos who sought to be repatriated from Lebanon.

But the repatriation process has been delayed due to the late issuance of exit clearances and flight cancellations as a result of explosions in Lebanon, said Department of Migrant Workers Undersecretary Bernard Olalia.

Airlines across the globe scrambled to divert or cancel flights following Iran's missile attack against Israel on Oct 1. Flights to Israel and Lebanon have been cancelled, with some carriers saying they will not resume operations until at least mid-October.

Mr Olalia said the government is exploring other evacuation options, such as exiting Lebanon via land and sea, due to the possibility of a shutdown of Beirut airport.