Asia-Pacific officials evacuating their citizens from Lebanon

Indonesia evacuated 45 citizens from Lebanon on Sunday, and another 35 were scheduled to be evacuated soon, Foreign Ministry spokesman Desra Percaya said.

Photo: Asia-Pacific officials evacuating their citizens from Lebanon

Up to 5,000 Australian travelers have registered with the Australian Embassy in Lebanon, and about 25,000 dual Australian-Lebanese citizens are believed to be living there, Australian media have reported.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said he hoped that "two or three busloads" of Australian citizens would leave Lebanon for neighboring Syria on Monday. Families with children were being given priority.

Israeli strikes on Lebanon began Wednesday after Hezbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-boarder raid. Civilians have been the main casualties, and airstrikes on runways have closed down Beirut's international airport.

Philippine officials were scrambling Monday to evacuate around 30,000 workers living in Lebanon.

The Philippine Embassy established an evacuation center at a Roman Catholic church north of Beirut, but the government had not yet made resources available for their removal, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Gilbert Asuque said.

The priest, who identified himself only as Father Jesse, said most of the workers, apparently domestic helpers, had been abandoned when their employers left Lebanon, according to the AP.

Japan's Foreign Ministry issued a statement Monday ordering all of its citizens in the southern Lebanese provinces of Chouf and Bekka to evacuate immediately.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said he was working with Britain and France to evacuate up to 40 nationals known to be in Lebanon.