Authorities in Ceuta are struggling to cope with thousands of people that remain in the autonomous city following the mass arrival of migrants last week.
Security forces estimate that around 73,500 people have already left the North African exclave and returned to Morocco, while local authorities say up to 5,000 remain in the Spanish territory, including 862 minors.
The crisis has so far resulted in at least 88 confirmed deaths, according to Ceuta’s authorities, in addition to bodies recovered by Moroccan authorities in Moroccan waters.
Juan Vivas, the president of Ceuta, estimates that between 3,000 and 5,000 migrants remain in the city four days after the mass influx from Morocco. He said the situation has not yet returned to normal and that Ceuta is still dealing with the aftermath of the incident.
Vivas added that between 1,800 and 2,000 people had already entered the city by swimming in the days before the mass crossing, a warning sign that he said showed the need for stronger border monitoring and better coordination to prevent another such crisis.
