A Spanish territory in northern Africa is experiencing a humanitarian and security crisis after thousands of migrants continue to swim across the border from Morocco, with at least 34 dying in the chaos.

Footage and images show scores of people, many of whom appear to be young men, bypassing the Tarajal border fence between Morocco and the Spanish exclave of Ceuta. Ceuta has long been considered a gateway for migrants seeking better lives in Europe, and the city has progressively fortified its border in response to perennial illegal border crossings. But Thursday saw a yet-to-be-explained surge: come Friday morning, Spain’s interior ministry estimated that some 49,000 migrants rushed into Ceuta in the previous 24 hours, though the government statement was later removed without explanation. Centers that receive migrants have been overwhelmed, while parks and streets were crowded with people from across the border. While surges in illegal crossings have happened before in Ceuta, it’s unclear what caused the recent one.