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Refugee reception capacities on Greek island Lesvos needs urgent improvement: UNHCR

Xinhua, November 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

With an average of 3,300 refugees and migrants arriving every day on the Greek island of Lesvos in November, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) highlighted on Friday the urgent need for enhanced reception capacities on the island.

"Lesvos is at the epicentre of the crisis," said UNHCR official Diane Goodman who spoke by telephone from Athens, adding that the lack of adequate infrastructure is "creating tensions between refugees, police and local residents."

Figures show that out of the 660,000 refugees and migrants who have reached Greece so far this year, over half have used Lesvos as their first point of entry in to the EU.

UNHCR also warned that the arrival of winter conditions is further hampering the ability to adequately receive migrant arrivals on the Aegean island, whose reception capacity is limited to 2,800 individuals despite there being some 16,000 refugees and migrants currently on site.

"With winter approaching there are some serious concerns," Goodman noted, adding that the issue of land, enhanced site management and improved sanitation is critical.

UNHCR has appealed to Greek authorities for the creation of additional accommodation and reception capacities as a matter of urgency, while calling for improvements including lighting, latrines, heating and site management to existing facilities at Moria and Kara Tape.

According to the refugee agency, vulnerable people including women and children often have no choice but to sleep outside, using fires to fend off the cold. The lack of shelters is also compounding a situation which is favouring "the strongest" at the detriment of persons with specific needs.

International Organisation for Migration (IOM) figures show that 666,502 migrant maritime arrivals have been recorded in Greece so far this year.

Close to 550 people have lost their lives while attempting to reach Greece, which is the main EU entry point for Syrians, Afghans, and Iraqis escaping conflicts in their countries. Endit