Thousands of migrants entered the Spanish exclave of Ceuta from Morocco on July 30, crossing through open waters and bypassing border breakwaters.
The sudden influx has led local political leaders to urge Madrid to declare a national emergency.
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The arrival disrupted daily life in the city of 84,000 residents, just two days before its annual summer fair.
Streets and public beaches became crowded gathering spaces and open-air sleeping quarters.
Emergency services recovered at least 18 bodies from the sea during the mass crossing.
Spanish Civil Guard officers along the border allowed the crowd to pass as arrivals dispersed throughout the area.
Many newcomers, including young adults and families with children, used flotation devices like inflatable inner tubes to navigate the water before landing on beaches such as Tarajal.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was scheduled to visit Ceuta on Friday.
Civil Guard officers provided initial assistance, while volunteers supplied water and sandwiches. Lacking dedicated interpreters, officers relied on local Arabic-speaking volunteers to communicate with the incoming crowd.
"Morocco, no. Morocco, no, please!"
said an unidentified migrant on the beach. "Not Morocco, don't worry.
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Nothing about Morocco. Come in, come," responded a Spanish Civil Guard officer.
Some migrants quickly called family members using cellphones kept dry in waterproof pouches to confirm their arrival.
Sanitation crews moved in to clear discarded inner tubes and flippers from the shoreline.
