More than 131,000 migrants and refugees have reached Europe via the Mediterranean Sea this year, according to the United Nations. This is more than the total number in the first five months of 2015. Of the 131,724 people who have arrived on Europe's shores this year, 122,637 landed in Greece and most were fleeing the conflict in Syria, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR, said.

The refugee agency added that an estimated 24,000 migrants in Greece were in need of accommodation as of Monday night, reported AFP. "Europe is on the cusp of a largely self-induced humanitarian crisis," the agency said, accusing European Union member states of fuelling the chaos and suffering by resorting to "inconsistent practices" in response to the migrant influx.

The statement came a day after refugees stranded at the border between Greece and Macedonia broke through a section of the barbed-wire fence using a heavy metal pole as a battering ram. Macedonia closed its borders to refugees last week, which left around 6,500 stuck on the Greek side of the border.

Refugees also clashed with French riot police on Monday, as authorities began to destroy their makeshift shelters in a camp known as "Jungle" on the outskirts of port city of Calais. Police hurled teargas shells at refugees, who began protesting when around 20 workers tried to bring shacks down manually. They also blocked and threw rocks at vehicles heading to England on a port road. Britain has urged France to prevent refugees from getting across the English Channel.