KOCHI: Anxiety has gripped the families of Keralites working in the West Asian countries following the rapidly escalating hostility between US-Israel combine and Iran which culminated in aerial strikes in the UAE and Bahrain on Saturday. An estimated two million Keralites are working in West Asian countries and their remittances have been the backbone of the state’s economy for decades.
Keralites in the Gulf region say they have been receiving frantic calls from relatives after the countries shut down their air spaces and airline operators cancelled flights to the region. However, leaders of Malayali organisations said there was no need to panic and Iran was targeting only the air bases of the US in the region.
“The UAE authorities have issued an alert cautioning citizens about a potential missile threat. The advisory tells people to seek immediate shelter in the closest secure building and to keep away from windows, doors and open spaces,” said Dileep Lal a native of Kollam who lives in Sharjah.
“The UAE Ministry of Defence has said that it has successfully intercepted a number of Iranian missiles targeting the country. The authorities have confirmed missile debris in a residential area where the death of a civilian has been reported. The missile attack has resulted in some damage to infrastructure. We are safe here,” he added.
A Keralite in Abu Dhabi said there was an attack in Abu Dhabi and the authorities have issued an alert. All shops and offices have been closed and residents have been told to ensure their safety.
Meanwhile, Keralites in Bahrain said there have been multiple strikes in the country, but the Iran forces were targeting US Airbase in the region. A commercial building at Juffair has collapsed.
“We received an alert from the authorities at 11.30 am on Saturday and there was a deafening explosion. We are staying at Gudaibiya near Manama and we saw fire and smoke billowing from Juffair area where the US Airbase is located. We heard explosions for around half an hour. The families staying in the area have been evacuated,” said a native of Thrissur working in Bahrain.
The Indian Embassy in the UAE has issued an advisory calling on Indian nationals to avoid unnecessary travel, to remain vigilant ad to follow the safety guidelines issued by the UAE authorities. The Embassy of India in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General in Dubai are functioning normally.
The US Mission to UAE has issued a security alert to all Americans in the UAE to stay inside and ensure they have essential supplies.
The cancellation of flights to West Asia has affected people who have arrived on leave as they will not be able to join duty on time. Mohammed Mustafa, a resident of Palakkad who has received a job visa in Dubai was anxious as his visa will expire on March 17. “If the flight services do not resume, I may lose my job,” he said.
Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden has sent a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar urging to ensure safety of Keralites working in various West Asian countries.