Cyprus Feeling the Strain as Thousands Arrive from Lebanon

Since the sealift began in earnest on Monday, some 20,000 foreign nationals have come through Cyprus, the majority of whom have now left for home, putting massive pressure on facilities at the peak of the holiday season.

"Up until now Cyprus has been basically left alone and unassisted in its effort to help so many thousands of people," Cypriot government spokesman Christodoulos Pashardes told reporters.

"This astonishingly large number is already challenging our acknowledged success so far and testing our infrastructure and the ability of Cyprus to effectively respond to this serious humanitarian problem," he added.

Cyprus has called for the immediate intervention of other countries, especially from the EU, to help it handle the thousands of people from poorer countries who need to be swiftly repatriated.

Its key request is to make more aircraft available, especially for third country nationals.

Holiday island in demand

Asian countries such as the Philippines, Sri Lanka and India, which have thousands of expat workers who need evacuating, have all requested Cyprus' help in organizing the escape of their nationals from the bloodshed.

"We are in a dilemma," Foreign Minister George Lillikas told state radio.

"We either continue our humanitarian effort with the means we have or do what others do and not allow non-Europeans to use Cyprus...we would rather that never happens," he added.

With an estimated 70,000 evacuees expected to pass through Cyprus, any gridlock in the repatriation process would seriously strain the island's limited resources.

War coincides with peak tourist season

Violence in Lebanon has coincided with the peak of the tourism season, meaning accommodation facilities and flights are scarce.

Nicosia's call for help came on a day the island recorded the largest influx of evacuees, from 50 different countries, since the pounding of Beirut began on July 12.

British, Indian and US warships were among an international flotilla of cruise liners and ferries bringing more than 6,000 foreign nationals to the ports of Larnaca and Limassol before lunchtime Friday.

Almost as many more are expected to reach Cyprus shores before the next sunrise.

Cyprus seeking fast-track departures

Cyprus has only provided its facilities as a transit point and is demanding more aircraft to enable fast-track departures so incoming evacuees stay no longer than eight hours if possible.

Among the fresh batch of weary evacuees to come ashore were 608 Indian nationals on the destroyer INS Mumbai, the only ship in India's task force to be allowed access to Beirut by the Israeli military.

Two Air India chartered 747 Boeings were waiting on the tarmac at Larnaca and flew them out later Friday.

Cyprus welcomed thousands of Lebanese seeking safe refuge during the civil war years of 1975-1990.

Emergency accomodation needed

Both Larnaca and Limassol on the south coast are seeing a record number of ships and passengers dock at its ports while air traffic over Larnaca is also breaking new records.

Britain and America are having to make contingency plans to temporarily house the thousands of evacuees sea-lifted to Cyprus.

More than 3,000 Americans and around 2,500-odd Britons have arrived on vessels ranging from a navy destroyer to top end luxury liners boasting creature comforts usually associated with Caribbean cruises.

A makeshift transit camp holding up to 1,000 US citizens has been established at the state fair ground in Nicosia while British military bases are looking at contingency plans to erect tents for those who cannot leave straight away.