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Over 88,000 refugees from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) have fled to Armenia in less than a week and humanitarian needs are surging, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.

Some 65,000 have already been registered at Government-run centres where long lines have formed, the UN press service reported.

Late on Friday, UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi tweeted that more than 100,000 refugees had now arrived in Armenia from Karabakh.

The agency is supporting the refugees with core relief items, said agency representative in Armenia Kavita Belani, who has been on the ground since day one of the crisis.

“People are tired. This is a situation where they’ve lived under nine months of blockade. When they come in, they’re full of anxiety, they’re scared, they’re frightened and they want answers as to what’s going to happen next.”

Ms. Belani said that the most urgent needs included psychosocial support, medication and shelter for everybody, given the high volume of arrivals, as well as targeted support for the most vulnerable: the elderly and children.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) told reporters in Geneva that 30 per cent of those arriving are minors and many have been separated from their families.