CEUTA, Spain – The beach at El Tarajal in Ceuta is currently covered with makeshift shanties and scattered rubbish, with large numbers of migrants still encamped along the shoreline more than seven weeks after the mass border crossing of 30 and 31 July. Images circulating from the area show improvised shelters constructed from reeds, cardboard, fabric and plastic sheeting spread across the sand and rocks, with debris and waste accumulated throughout the settlement.
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The scene reflects the ongoing humanitarian and logistical crisis in the autonomous city, where thousands of migrants who entered illegally remain without permanent accommodation despite government efforts to relocate them to temporary facilities. The El Tarajal area, which sits close to the border with Morocco, has become one of several informal settlements in Ceuta, alongside encampments at Benítez beach and El Trampolín.
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Authorities have been transferring migrants to a new temporary centre at the Muelle de Poniente, which has around 1,700 places, but the capacity falls far short of the thousands still living rough. The continued presence of large numbers of people in makeshift conditions has raised concerns over sanitation, public health and safety, with local residents repeatedly voicing frustration over the deterioration of public spaces and the strain on city services.
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The government has said it is working to identify and process those remaining, with the aim of returning those who cannot legally stay in Spain, while also enabling additional sites to expand reception capacity. For now, however, the beaches of Ceuta remain transformed by the encampments, serving as a visible symbol of the unresolved crisis that continues to weigh heavily on the city and its residents.
