Thousands seek shelter after Moria camp fires

Thousands of people who fled the burned out Moria refugee camp on Lesbos prepared to sleep rough for a third night on Friday, under makeshift shelters beside the road to the island capital of Mytilene.

Authorities sought to shelter them after fires destroyed the camp that for years symbolised Europe's biggest migration policy failings.

Soldiers set up new tents on a site near Moria's blackened remnants.

The structures were flown in by military helicopters to forestall protests by Lesbos' permanent residents angry at their island's protracted use as a holding center for thousands arriving from nearby Turkey.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said authorities have “moved very fast” to construct a temporary facility.

Greek officials said the fires on Tuesday and Wednesday were deliberately set by a tiny number of camp residents angered by isolation orders issued to prevent the spread of the coronavirus after 35 residents were found to have been infected.