It all left yesterday's would-be refugees furious at the latest delay in an evacuation that has taken two months to negotiate.

They had given instructions that any would-be refugees with weapons must be disarmed before being allowed to cross the border, the official said.

The figure however was not confirmed, and some of the would-be refugees told reporters outside the building their group comprised 114 people.

But rumors were passing rapidly from one bunch of would-be refugees to another.

According to the mayor's office, 40 new would-be refugees arrive in town each day.

Under this rule - a generally accepted principle of international law - governments can return would-be refugees who have arrived via other countries.

By late afternoon, a heavy rain prompted would-be refugees on the beach to scatter for shelter.

Several hundred would-be refugees are being returned daily.

"I think we have a thing or two to learn about our would-be refugees before we go picking them up," she said.

As a result, several groups of would-be refugees have been turned away at border crossings.