ROME: Tensions on Lampedusa, the tiny Italian island in the middle of the Mediterranean, are at breaking point following the arrival of more than 250 migrants from Libya in the past two days, with the island鈥檚 mayor describing the situation as 鈥渆xplosive.鈥�

The latest group of migrants landed in small boats on Saturday, placing further strain on Lampedusa鈥檚 already overcrowded holding center.

A wave of more than 1,000 migrants has reached the island from Libya in the past three days.

鈥淭he situation now is unmanageable. It is an emergency,鈥� Salvatore Martello, Lampedusa鈥檚 mayor, told Arab News.

鈥淚f the government doesn鈥檛 proclaim a state of emergency, I will,鈥� he said.

The migrants were either rescued at sea or managed to avoid detection by the Italian and Libyan coast guards.

All the arrivals 鈥� some traveling in dinghies carrying only six to eight people 鈥� were sent to the holding center on the island, known as the 鈥渉otspot.鈥�

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Designed to hold about 100 people, the facility now houses 10 times that number.

Local officials on Saturday ordered an emergency transfer of about 300 migrants to another center in Sicily.

鈥淭he hotspot is no longer able to welcome migrants,鈥� Martello said. 鈥淭he responsibility for this emergency should not fall on the mayor, the municipal administration and the people living in the island.鈥�

He said: 鈥淚t seems impossible to stop this wave. We have already transferred some migrants to Sicily, but by the time they leave the island there are even more arriving, so the hotspot remains overcrowded.

鈥淭oday no transfer to Porto Empedocle (in Sicily) is planned, but five dinghies have already arrived from Tunisia.鈥�

Lampedusa is about 100 km from the Tunisian coast.  

Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese is expected go to Tunis on Monday for talks with Tunisian authorities on a joint strategy to prevent migrants leaving the country for Italy.

鈥淭he Tunisian government has to do something, they must cooperate to stop this wave. Italy cannot be left alone,鈥� Anna Maria Bernini, a Forza Italia senator told Arab news.

鈥淲e understand that people want to flee from Libya where there is no peace, but Tunisia is safe as far as we know. So they must do something and quickly, otherwise Lampedusa will explode,鈥� she said.

The Tunisian Statistic Institute has said that it will collect data until March 2021 to help define the country鈥檚 migration policies.

Meanwhile, Italy鈥檚 foreign ministry has allocated funds to support the International Organization for Migration in Tunisia, which helps voluntary repatriation of migrants.