Thousands of migrants are arriving on the Italian island of Lampedusa.

The Italian island of Lampedusa is experiencing an unprecedented influx of migrants. Over the past three days, more than 7,000 people, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, have arrived on the island. This is equal to the number of residents in Lampedusa.

Coming from Tunisia, whose coasts are only about a hundred kilometers away from Italy, most of them hurried their departure due to favorable weather conditions.

Problem: The main reception center in Lampedusa only has 600 accommodation spaces, and the authorities quickly found themselves overwhelmed. To alleviate the overcrowding on the island, the mayor has declared a state of emergency and migrants are gradually being transferred to other reception centers.