Asylum Seekers from 149 Countries Arrive in EU

800,000+ first time asylum seekers registered in EU (Jan – Sep 2015)

Citizens of 149 countries sought asylum for the first time in the EU in the third quarter of 2015. The largest number of asylum seekers came from Syria (138,000), Afghanistan (56,700) and Iraq (44,400), eurostat reported.

The number of asylum-seekers in the EU-28 during the third quarter of 2015 reached 430,600 (i.e. including repeat applicants), reported eurostat. This was 250,400 more than Q3 of 2014. Some 413,800 of the asylum applicants (96 %) were first time applicants.

The number of Syrians and Iraqis seeking international protection more than
tripled in Q3 of 2015 compared with the previous quarter, reaching about 138,000 and 44,500 respectively; while the number of Afghans applicants doubled to more than 56,500, said the report.

“Asylum applicants from Iraq (11 times more) recorded the most substantial relative increase in the EU in the third quarter of 2015 compared to the same quarter of 2014 followed by Albanians (nearly 8 times more), Afghanis (almost 6 times more), Pakistanis (4 times more) and Syrians (3 times more).”

The highest number of first time asylum applicants in Q3 of 2015 registered in Germany and Hungary (both with just over 108,000 applicants, or 26% each of total applicants in the EU Member States), followed by Sweden (42,500, or 10%), Italy (28,400, or 7%) and Austria (27,600, or 7%). These 5 Member States together account for more than 75% of all first time applicants in the EU-28.

About 33% of first-time asylum seekers originated from Syria.

• More than 410 000 first time asylum seekers registered in the third quarter of 2015.
• Over 210 000 first time asylum seekers in the EU in the second quarter of 2015.
• At least 185 000 first time asylum seekers in the EU in the first quarter of 2015.

At the end of September 2015, more than 808,000 applications for asylum protection in the EU Member States were still under consideration by the responsible national authority.

[Note: First time applicant for international protection is a person who lodges an application for asylum for the first time in an EU-28 Member State.]

Eurostat News releases

• More than 410,000 first time asylum seekers registered in the third quarter of 2015
• Over 210,000 first time asylum seekers in the EU in the second quarter of 2015
• 185,000 first time asylum seekers in the EU in the first quarter of 2015

State of Emergency Declared in 13 Oregon Counties

Powerful storms pound Pacific NW, prompt emergency declaration in Oregon

Gov. Brown has declared a state of emergency for 13 counties following deadly storms that hit the region. Record rainfall and strong winds unleashed widespread flooding and landslides across NW Oregon, destroying roads and other infrastructure, forcing people from their homes and leaving at least two people dead.

The Emergency Proclamation currently covers the counties of  Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington and Yamhill.

“Heavy rains and wind have required the evacuation of residences, and mudslides and high water have severely damaged or blocked major roadways in these areas of the state,” said Brown.

State of Emergency Declared in Washington State

Gov. Inslee declared a state of emergency in Washington on Wednesday as record-breaking storms continue to dump historic amounts of precipitation over the region.

The storms broke multiple weather records for the Seattle area, unleashing severe flooding and landslides, closing major roadways and schools and forcing evacuations.