100,000 MIGRANTS LAND IN EUROPE SINCE NEW YEAR

BRUSSELS Mo r e than 100,000 migrants have already arrived i n Europe this year, new figures show, meaning more reached Europe in the first six weeks of 2016 than in the first six months of 2015.

The startling totals released by the International Organization for Migration come despite rough winter seas and a $ 4.5- billion European Union deal with Turkey that was supposed to stem the flow in exchange for visa-free access to Europe for Turkish tourists and businessmen.

The figures show 102,500 people have crossed into Greece since Jan. 1 and about 7,500 in Italy, compared with a combined total of 11,834 for January and February 2015.

The numbers are already causing political paroxysms in Europe, with Greece angrily protesting a decision by Macedonia to close its border to Afghan refugees, stranding 8,000 on the frontier.

The move to throttle the flows from Greece has the quiet backing of several European powers who accuse it of “waving through” nearly one million migrants last year.

A statement by the European Commission warned a “humanitarian crisis” was now brewing in certain countries “especially in Greece.”

“We call on all countries and actors along the route to prepare the necessary contingency planning to be able to address humanitarian needs, including reception capacities,” the statement said.