‘Jungle’ cleared of migrants

calais — French authorities declared the Calais migrant camp known as “the jungle,” empty on Wednesday, after fires set by departing migrants accelerated plans to evacuate the burgeoning slum.

Local officials announced the destruction of the camp, where thousands fleeing war and poverty have lived in squalor as they waited for a chance to sneak across the English Channel into Britain. Migrants are being moved to reception centers around France where they can seek asylum.

“There are no more migrants in the camp,” said Fabienne Buccio, a local official in the camp. “Our mission has been fulfilled.”

Migrants were seen milling around despite the announcement, but authorities said they would stop processing people by Wednesday evening.

Migrants have flocked to the Calais region for decades, but the camp has grown as Europe’s migrant crisis expanded. As it evolved into a massive slum supported by aid groups, France finally decided to shut it down.

As the reality of the mass evacuation took hold, fearful migrants from Afghanistan, Sudan, Eritrea, Syria and Pakistan braced for a new reality. Some pledged to just keep moving.

“This jungle is no good,” said Muhammad Afridi, 20, from Pakistan. “We go to a new jungle.”

The main alley through the camp near the city of Calais burned overnight, leaving skeleton-like hulks on either side of the road. Firefighters delved into the camp’s deepest recesses, trying to prevent a massive conflagration.

Gas canisters popped as they exploded in the heat. One aid group’s truck burst into flames.

Migrants stood and watched. Some laughed.

Steve Barbet, a spokesman for the regional authorities, said one migrant was hospitalised. About 100 migrants were evacuated.

The camp once housed 6,300 migrants, according to authorities, but aid groups said the number was much higher.

Wearing hardhats and orange overalls in the morning fog, a team of around 15 workers resumed tearing down tents and makeshift shelters at the camp. In the dis-

someone burned our tents. Maybe they used petrol or something, I don’t know, but the fires spread fast. We had to run out in the middle of the night. tance, a new fire threw black smoke into the sky as several dozen wood shacks smouldered on a main thoroughfare of the sprawling slum. “Someone burned our tents. Maybe they used petrol or something, I don’t know, but the fires spread fast. We had to run out

Arman Khan, An Afghan national

in the middle of the night,” said Arman Khan, a 17-year-old Afghan. “I left all my things behind, I have nothing now.”

Riot police had cordoned off the demolition area while aid workers and government officials checked that the dwellings were empty.