KUWAIT CITY: Indian Expats From Saudi, Kuwait Stranded In UAE Get Free Accommodation: Report

KUWAIT CITY: Around 300 expats, mostly Indians, stranded in UAE, after
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait closed their borders to prevent the spread of the new
strain of the coronavirus have been provided free accommodation, according to a
media report on Friday.

The expats have taken an indirect
route of flying via the United Arab Emirates, to Saudi and Kuwait, since there
were no direct flights from their home countries, the Gulf News reported.

They were caught off guard with the
news about flight suspensions in their countries of residence, after finishing
a 14-day mandatory quarantine in hotels and other paid accommodation in the
UAE, it said.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have closed
their land and sea borders and suspended commercial flights over fears about
the new coronavirus strain, which is spreading fast in the UK.

Dubai Markaz Centre’s volunteers’
wing Indian Cultural Foundation (ICF) tied up with construction firm Aasa Group
to arrange the free accommodation and food to the stranded passengers, the
report said.

Most of the 300 stranded expats are
from the south Indian state of Kerala, said Abdul Salam Saquafi, ICF public
relations manager.