Published: 12:34, October 3, 2024 | Updated: 12:59, October 3, 2024
3 HK residents evacuated from Lebanon as Israel intensifies attack
By Wang Zhan
Firefighters work as smoke billows at the site of an overnight Israeli airstrike in Beirut's southern suburb of Hadath area on Oct 2, 2024. (PHOTO / AFP)

HONG KONG – Three Hong Kong residents have been evacuated from Lebanon safely with the help of the Chinese embassy in the Middle Eastern country amid intensified Israeli attacks there, according to the city’s Immigration Department.

The vessel and flight for the evacuation was arranged by the country, the ImmD said in a statement on Wednesday night.

On Sept 30, the special administrative region government raised the outbound travel alert for Lebanon to black, the highest in the city’s three-tier Outbound Travel Alert system, signifying "severe threat".

READ MORE: HKSAR govt raises Lebanon travel alert to black

Various countries pulled out their citizens as Israel intensified its military operations inside Lebanon as part of its campaign against the Hezbollah group.

Advising Hong Kong residents to avoid all travel to Lebanon, the SAR government said those already in Lebanon should attend to their personal safety and leave or relocate to relatively safe regions immediately.

They may call the 24-hour hotline of the Immigration Department’s Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit at (852) 1868, or use the 1868 Chatbot via the Immigration Department Mobile Application, send a message to the 1868 WhatsApp assistance hotline, send a message to the 1868 WeChat assistance hotline or submit the Online Assistance Request Form, or contact the Chinese Embassy in Lebanon at its consular protection hotline (961) 3866468 for assistance.

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The ImmD added that it will continue to maintain close liaison with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the HKSAR and the Chinese embassy to monitor the latest development in Lebanon.