10,000 migrants crossed into Macedonia in a 24 hour span.
The migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa are hoping to find better living conditions in northern Europe.
Thousands of migrants defy rain and tightened border controls to stream into the Balkans http://t.co/x1IBEi9pse pic.twitter.com/ICXKJojWdd
— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) October 19, 2015
The migrants are being redirected to Slovenia after Hungary closed its border over the weekend.
This is bad. Hung. news: 10,000 migrants in Serbia, 10,000 arrived in Macedonia, Turkey plotting to send even more. pic.twitter.com/pA4n01CJce
— Bodomér de Maldur (@Kittensinurface) October 19, 2015
The Hurriyet Daily News reported:
A surge of migrants entered Macedonia at the weekend, with 10,000 crossing into the small Balkan country in 24 hours, police said on Oct. 19.
The high influx came amid fears of a new human bottleneck on the western Balkan route as Slovenia allowed limited numbers to cross into its territory, causing delays further down the migrant trail.
The travellers, mostly fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, are being redirected to Slovenia on their way to northern Europe, after Hungary closed off its Croatian border with razor wire early Saturday.
Further down the route, police said 10,000 migrants crossed from Greece and registered in Macedonia in the 24 hours to 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) on Oct. 18.
Migrants stream into Balkans, Germany braces for far-right rally http://t.co/7a1kznxAiO pic.twitter.com/BqAJJ6xuBw
— Agence France-Presse (@AFP) October 19, 2015
Humanitarian workers in the field told AFP that the influx of people from Greece continued to be high until around midnight, when the numbers started to decline.