Around 217 Nepali migrant workers lost their lives in Qatar in 2009, according to Nepali Ambassador Surya Nath Mishra. The rapidly-developing Gulf state has long been a favoured destination for Nepali migrant workers, many of whom are employed on construction sites. Cardiac arrest has been named as the leading cause of death among expatriate Nepalis, and is thought to be caused by a mixture of physical exertion in Qatar's hot weather and emotional strain.
According to data from the Nepali Embassy in Doha for 2009:
40 Nepalis died in traffic accidents
23 in work-related accidents
14 from drowning
9 committed suicide
The rest died from myocardial infection or cardiac arrest
A total of 175 Nepalis died in Qatar in 2008.
The figures provide a morbid snapshot of the risks that migrants from the developing world face when they travel to the Gulf States to undertake low-paid, physical labour.
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