New Delhi, Sep 20 (IANS): Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Sunday sought External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's intervention to ensure the safe return of about 200 Keralites stranded in Yemen.

Chandy, who arrived here on Saturday night to take part in a farmers rally of the Congress, conveyed his concerns about the safety of the Keralites, mostly male and female nurses, to the central government.

His office told IANS that Chandy was in touch with the external affairs ministry.

"The problem is the Indian embassy has shut in Yemen and it now operates from Djibouti. People who wish to return say that fighting has intensified in Yemen," an official said.

"The stranded people will be able to return only through diplomatic efforts at the highest level," it said.

A Saudi Arabia-led coalition has been bombing Houthi group across Yemen since March 26 when Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi fled to Riyadh.

The Houthis control much of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa.