ATHENS 

Italy declared a six-month state of emergency Tuesday to help it deal with a surge in the number of migrants arriving in the country via the Mediterranean Sea, local media reported.

The government approved the measure following a proposal by Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci, said the state-run ANSA news agency.

“Let me be clear. The problem will not be solved with this. The solution is possible only through a conscious and responsible intervention by the European Union,” said Musumeci.

"We are talking about a phenomenon never seen in the past. The islands alone cannot deal with this state of emergency,” he added.

With the state of emergency, faster procedures and actions can be implemented to offer migrants reception solutions in a short time with adequate standards, according to the agency.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the decision aims to enable more effective and timely responses to the management of the migrant flow.

In recent weeks, Italy has seen a significant rise in the number of migrants and refugees arriving on its southern shores from North Africa, with over 3,000 coming in the last three days alone.