Britain is to send two warships to Sudan to help UK citizens trapped in the war-torn capital Khartoum.
More than 4,000 British people are thought to be stranded as rebel forces are involved in deadly street-to-street fighting.
There is also a shortage of water, food, and electricity.
The Times reports RFA Cardigan Bay and HMS Lancaster – a Type 23 frigate – are being readied for an evacuation from Port Sudan.
RFA Cardigan, which can hold 4,000 troops, is already on Operation Kipion in the Middle East and HMS Lancaster is in Gibraltar.
And the Independent has spoken to a father-of-two who claims British Embassy staff have fled after telling nationals to “stay put”.
The man, who asked for his name to be withheld for his safety, said the embassy had “cut and run” leaving British nationals behind and “ignoring their own advice to stay put”.
He added that 12 to 15 British embassy cars passed him on the road while he was escaping the city in a convoy.
Meanwhile, he has friends who are “stranded” in the capital all because they followed the advice of the embassy.
A Cobra meeting is due to sit in Whitehall as Downing Street explores “all avenues” for how to rescue British people.