New figures from the International Organisation for Migration show the number of migrants crossing into Europe by land and sea this year has now officially exceeded one million.
The news has sparked renewed calls by the United Nations for a global response to tackle the crisis.
Omar Dabbagh reports.
The one million mark has been surpassed as migrants and refugees continue to flee war-torn countries in search of safety within Europe's borders.
The International Organisation for Migration says the vast majority have crossed by sea, with more than 800,000 travelling from Turkey to Greece.
Most are refugees from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
One in four have been children.
The migration organisation's director general, William Lacy Swing, says it marks a fourfold increase on last year's numbers.
"We have just published the figures passing the one million mark for the number of refugees and other migrants heading north into Europe, primarily out of Syria, but other areas, also. And out of that number, the death total is very close to 3,700, primarily in the Mediterranean, central Mediterranean, with many fewer in the Aegean and the land route in the Balkans."
That death toll has increased after 11 more migrants drowned when a boat capsized off Turkey's western coast overnight.
United Nations Director-General Michael Moller says the crisis is "outpacing" the humanitarian effort.
He has called for a more global approach to tackle the problem.
"I (never) ever quite understood why people are continuing insisting on the fact that this is a European problem, or primarily a European problem. This is really a global issue and needs to be dealt with as such, and I think is increasingly being done so, a little late but better late than never. I think this is an issue of the need for much greater global solidarity."
The United Nations' High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres agrees a global response is crucial.
He says a new deal needs to be struck to help Syrian refugees, who make up almost half of that one-million figure.
"We need a new deal between the international community, with Europe, in particular, and Syria's neighbours. It is clear that, without education for their children, access to the labour market and protection against poverty, more and more Syrians will see themselves left with only one option, moving on."
Both Lebanon and Italy are dealing with an influx of new arrivals.
The topic has dominated talks between the two countries as Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi stopped by Beirut for a one-day visit.
Mr Renzi has praised Lebanon's hosting of so many mainly Syrian refugees.
(Translated)"To put the matter into perspective, a country 15 times smaller than Italy is hosting a number 10 times higher than the number Italy is hosting. We shouldn't pretend that this isn't happening. We have to work more and better to resolve the problem for the root of its cause. We need to create in Syria and Africa, from Eritrea to other countries at risk, the right conditions to overcome this extraordinary crisis that we are going through."
Immigration analyst Dr Thom Brookes, from Britain's Durham University, says that crisis will not relent in 2016.
With many European countries now reaching capacity and tolerance levels, Dr Brookes says he believes the situation could also become much more difficult.
"It seems that it's not a temporary thing. I think that we're going to see some very high numbers next year as well. This is not a crisis that's about to go away. I don't see any taking up the leadership that Germany has had, and I don't think Germany is going to be welcoming with the same open arms next year the kinds of numbers we saw this year."
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