BRUSSELS, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- The number of migrants entering EU's borders in July surged past 100,000 for the first time since the bloc began keeping records.
Frontex, the European border security agency, reported 107,500 migrants were detected at EU borders in July, more than triple the number reported during the same month last year. This is the first time numbers have breached the 100,000 mark since Frontex began keeping records in 2008.
The EU, particularly countries along the Mediterranean Sea like Greece, has experienced an influx of refugees from North Africa and the Middle East in recent months thanks to a growing number of conflicts and human rights abuses in those regions. From January to July 2015, nearly 340,000 migrants were detected at EU borders, up from 123,500 recorded in the same period in 2014.
"This is an emergency situation for Europe that requires all EU member states to step in to support the national authorities who are taking on a massive number of migrants at its borders," said Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri.
"Frontex has called on member states to provide additional equipment and people to support our operations in Greece and in Hungary and the European Commission has approved national programs to provide significant financial assistance to the member states to address these challenges," he added.
Last week, EU Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner Dimitris Abramopoulos said the agency is ready to provide funding and quickly help member states address the rise in migrants.
