Freezing temperatures in Europe have killed five refugees and put more than 1,000 others at risk, the United Nations reported this week.
The UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) agency warned that the death toll could rise if refugees are not relocated from islands off the shore to the mainland of Greece.
“It's clear that people would be better off on the mainland and should be moved there more quickly and in larger numbers,” said Adrian Edwards of UNHCR.
Temperatures have fallen to around 30°F near the Macedonian border, with more snow expected to fall in the coming week, and cold rain just above freezing (in the mid 40s) has been falling on the island of Samos at night.
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The UNCHR is handing out thermal blankets and attempting to move refugees from thin makeshift tents on the Aegean shoreline into heated accommodation as quickly as possible while urging governments to cut through red tape so asylum seekers can reach the mainland.
On the Greek island of Samos, nearly 1,000 of the most vulnerable refugees are families with children or unaccompanied young boys. On Samos, some newcomers have been waiting for months to be processed for asylum, a cause for grave concern according to UNHCR.
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UNHCR is calling for increased safe passageways for families in order to reduce dependency on smugglers in addition to speeding up processing refugees on Samos and other islands.
“Saving lives must be a priority and we urge States authorities across Europe to do more to assist and protect refugees and migrants,” said Cécile Pouilly, spokesperson for UNHCR.
Last year was one of the most perilous for refugees crossing the Mediterranean, with 3,740 individuals dying while attempting the crossing. But this year could be magnitudes worse.
“This is the worst we have ever seen,” said William Spindler, another UNHCR spokesperson. “From one death for every 269 arrivals last year, in 2016 the likelihood of dying has spiraled to one in 88.”
For the people who have lost everything, who have survived the life-threatening journey across the Mediterranean, we must do everything possible to ensure a warm, safe space for them to begin to rebuild their lives.