Three Indians missing in Lebanon

New Delhi, July 19 (UNI) Three Indian nationals were missing in Lebanon and one was injured after Israeli jets pounded the Eastern Bekaa valley today even as the government prepared to evacuate another 1000 people from the war zone and deployed four ships to bring them back home.

Already 49 people were evacuated on July 17.

Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed told UNI that the government was trying to confirm the reports that three Indians had gone missing and one was wounded in an Israeli air strike on a glass factory at Satura in Eastern Bekaa valley.

''We have information that a glass factory was hit after which three Indians went missing and one was wounded,'' the Minister said.

External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna also said there were reports of three Indians having gone missing. However, the reports could not be confirmed, he said.

Earlier, Reuters said three Indian workers were among 49 civilians killed in fresh casualties in the battle-scarred nation.

The reports came in even as India said it was evacuating about 1000 people from Lebanon and 1000 to 2000 people, half of them students, from the Northern part of Israel to the relatively safer South.

Mr Ahamed said earlier that the Indian embassy in Tel Aviv was making arrangements to evacuate between 1000 and 2000 Indians, half of them students, from the Northern part of Israel and bring them to safer areas of the South.

The External Affairs Ministry spokesman said if the number of the people wanting to be evacuated from Lebanon, was more than 1000, they would be taken to Larnaca in Cyprus from where they would be airlifted to India.

He said India had also received requests from Nepal and Sri Lanka to evacuate their nationals. If the ships have any space left, they too would be accommodated, he said in reply to a question.

Mr Sarna said the situation was evolving very fast in the region and there was considerable congestion as a result of the build-up in the seas.

Four ships which have been sent, should be berthing ''anytime now,'' he said.

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