Plans made for evacuation of over 80 Kiwis in Lebanon

Plans are being made for New Zealanders trapped in war-torn Lebanon to be evacuated to the nearby Mediterranean island of Cyprus.

Between 80 and 90 people living in Lebanon have asked the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MFAT) for help to escape the violence.

Consulate assistance was being provided in Cyprus in preparation for evacuations there, MFAT said.

People seeking MFAT help have either logged onto its website directly or have put family members in contact, spokeswoman Helen Tunnah said.

Lebanon was today facing its seventh day of bombing by Israeli troops and attempts to leave the country were becoming increasingly difficult with disruptions to the airport and roading systems.

Ms Tunnah said Britain had official representation in the area and had accepted a request from New Zealand to help Kiwis if required.

She said a British ship was off the coast of Lebanon but it would only begin evacuations when it was safe enough to enter port there.

New Zealand had an honorary consul in Cyprus, and staff from the embassy in Rome were travelling there to help.

Australia was understood to have high numbers of residents also in Lebanon and had also offered to help New Zealanders.

While many New Zealanders were likely to stay in Lebanon, MFAT urged any who found their way out of the country to let the department know.

Another bout of bombing by warplanes yesterday killed 31 people, with rockets fired in return by Hizbollah militants killing one person in northern Israel.

The fighting was now estimated to have killed 235 people in Lebanon and 25 in Israel.

Civilians on both sides have shown anger at the fighting but neither side has shown any willingness to end it.

- NZPA