Surge in arrivals comes despite EU deal with departure country Tunisia
Local authorities on the Italian island of Lampedusa have declared a state of emergency as 7,000 migrants arrived on boats across the Mediterranean within 48 hours, more than doubling its population.
The 20sq km island lies between Sicily and Tunisia and has been a primary landing point for people seeking to cross to Europe for more than a decade.
Mayor Filippo Mannino told local radio that the island’s roughly 6,000 permanent residents had “always welcomed” the new arrivals but that the situation had become untenable. “We have now reached a point of no return and the island is in crisis,” he said, appealing for the Italian state and European Union to intervene and swiftly transfer people elsewhere.
The island’s parish priest, Don Carmelo Rizzo, told media the island was struggling with water supplies and rubbish disposal and described the situation as “apocalyptic” as its reception centre had capacity for only 400 people. “For the new arrivals there isn’t even a place to put a bed or the possibility of going to the bathroom,” he said.
Continue reading HERE
Source: https://www.irishtimes.com/world/europe/2023/09/14/italian-island-lampedusa-declares-emergency-as-7000-migrants-arrive-in-48-hours/
