Greek authorities are struggling to deal with thousands of refugees fleeing Syria and Afghanistan to its islands in order to reach mainland Europe.

The island of Lesbos is receiving 1,000 refugees almost every day – arriving on unsuitable and dangerous rubber dinghies through treacherous waters.

There they get processed and receive papers allowing them to travel to Athens, and then to more prosperous EU countries like Germany.

The humanitarian situation is now at crisis point as Greek authorities are under huge pressure to accommodate heavily dependent people in a severe economic depression.

Kirk Day is the head of operations for the International Rescue Squad (IRC) which is heading up operations on the Greek island of Lesbos.

He says the situation is “critical”

Shona Murray caught up with him at the Kara Tepe camp for refugees on the island of Lesbos:

Meanwhile, the United Nations Refugee Agency expressed great apprehension over the refugee situation in Greece – where more than 100,000 people have sought shelter so far in 2015.

UNHCR says, that notwithstanding its difficulties, Greece - with assistance from wider Europe - has a duty to assist.

Carlotto Sami is the spokesperson for the UNHCR in Southern Europe. She says that the EU needs to step up: