Austrian Red Cross Expects 800 to 1,500 Refugees From Hungary in Next Few Hours

Berlin: Austria's Red Cross said on Saturday it expected between 800 to 1,500 people to arrive in its refugee reception centre of Nickelsdorf at the Hungarian border in the next few hours.

"We got an indication from our authorities that we can expect between 800 to 1,500 people" said Thomas Horvath, spokesman for the Red Cross in the Austrian province of Burgenland on the Hungarian border.

"We are getting beds, shelter, food and hot drinks ready for them, and there will also be medical care available if needed."

Hundreds of migrants left central Budapest early on Saturday in a long queue of buses laid on by Hungarian authorities overwhelmed by defiant crowds who had struck out on foot to Western Europe, a Reuters witness said.