Cyprus prepared ‘for up to 100,000’ evacuees

Up to 100,000 people may be evacuated from Lebanon through Cyprus, Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos said on Tuesday, with the government preparing for ‘all possible scenarios’.

He told CyBC the Estia evacuation scheme is in place and there is constant communication with other countries and diplomatic missions present in Cyprus.

Kombos said it is possible that the number of evacuations from Lebanon through Cyprus could reach 100,000 people, though this is a transitory stop and individuals would be expected to stay in the country for a few hours.

The minister specified it was likely the number could be less than 100,000. In 2006, there were 60,000 individuals who were evacuated from Lebanon.

Kombos expressed the hope that negotiations over a Gaza ceasefire could end with positive results so as to prevent broader escalation in the region.

Deputy minister of migration Nicholas Ioannides previously said Cyprus would be ready to deal with an influx of migrants should the situation in the Middle East worsen.

He said there are national schemes in place including ‘Nafkratis’ which deals with the management of mass arrivals to Cyprus.

Already, Canada has clinched an agreement with Cyprus over evacuation procedures should they be required. The foreign ministry has already informed all diplomatic missions that the Estia plan to repatriate third country nationals has been activated and the country is ready to help if there are requests to leave the Middle East via the island.