Migrant arrivals on islands peak as weather improves

The influx of undocumented migrants to the Aegean islands from neighboring Turkey intensified last week as the weather improved, even as reception centers remain overcrowded.

A total of 662 people arrived on the islands of the eastern Aegean last week, compared with 444 the week before that. Overall 1,866 landed on the islands of Lesvos, Samos, Chios, Kos and Leros last month.

During the same period 2,648 people were transferred to facilities on the mainland after being deemed as belonging to vulnerable groups. The transfers slightly eased the burden on cramped island centers.

However, plans to create new facilities on the mainland to deal with the increasing population there have been put off until after local elections later this month amid protests by local communities.