MOSCOW (Sputnik) — More than 5,300 migrants have been given shelter on Greece's Eastern Aegean island of Lesbos, local media reported on Wednesday, citing the government’s coordinating agency for the refugee crisis.
According to the agency's figures, 98 migrants and refugees have arrived on the island in the past 24 hours, pushing the total number to 5,307, the Kathimerini newspaper reported.
As Lesbos refugee camp can host only 3,500 people, local authorities urged immediate government action to free up places in the facilities.
According to UNHCR data, more than half of the 660,000 migrants who have reached Greece since the beginning of 2015 entered the country through Lesbos.
9 August 2016, 17:33 GMT
Lesbos is a gateway to Europe for many people fleeing war and poverty in North Africa and the Middle East. Over 80 aid organizations are helping thousands of refugees on Lesbos, including the UN refugee agency UNHCR and the International Rescue Committee, which are operating transit and assistance centers there.
More than 260,000 migrants have arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean Sea since the beginning of 2016, according to the International Organization for Migration.
