The UN's refugee agency says it is increasingly concerned for the welfare of nearly 2,000 migrants at a detention centre on a southern Italian island.
The centre on Lampedusa has a capacity of 850, forcing hundreds of people to sleep outdoors in the cold, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said.
It said Italy's new immigration policy was partly to blame for the conditions.
Italy reported a sharp rise in the number of migrants arriving by sea on the island from Africa in 2008.
Correspondents say many would-be migrants are fleeing wars or poverty in countries such as Somalia and Eritrea and risk the dangerous Mediterranean crossing to enter Europe.
People smugglers charge them about $1,000 (£685; 710 euros) each to make the often stormy crossing in barely seaworthy vessels.
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