Increased volcanic activity in Santorini, a renowned tourist destination in Greece, has led the country’s civil protection minister to convene a meeting with local officials and disaster management personnel. This announcement came late Wednesday from the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry, indicating that monitoring systems have detected “mild seismic-volcanic activity” within the island’s caldera. A similar pattern of activity was noted in 2011, which lasted for 14 months and concluded without incident.
Experts who are observing the Hellenic Volcanic Arc, which runs from the Peloponnese in southern Greece to the Cycladic islands, have discovered an uptick in activity along a central fault line in the northern region of Santorini’s caldera. According to the ministry’s statement, scientists have asserted that, based on current evidence, there is no immediate cause for alarm.
Santorini, characterized by its dramatic views and picturesque structures, is a favorite among travelers worldwide, famed for its white-washed buildings and distinct blue-domed churches perched on rocky cliffs surrounding the caldera. Historically, the island is infamous for experiencing one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history, which occurred during the Bronze Age around 1620 BC. This catastrophic event significantly altered much of the island’s geography and is thought to have played a role in the decline of the ancient Minoan civilization that thrived in the area.
Today, Santorini remains an active volcano, although the last significant eruption took place in 1950. Seismologist Efthymios Lekkas, who leads the scientific monitoring committee for the Hellenic Volcanic Arc, shared insights on Greece’s ERT television. He stated, “It is important to understand that the Santorini volcano typically undergoes substantial eruptions approximately every 20,000 years. Since the last major explosion occurred 3,000 years ago, we have a considerable amount of time before we face another large-scale eruption.”
Lekkas further explained that between these significant eruptions, volcanic activity can fluctuate, leading to minor earthquakes. He likened the volcano to a living entity and clarified, “While we do not anticipate a major explosion at this time, we expect to see some mild activity.” He was one of the key participants in the meeting called by Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias, which also included leaders from Greece’s fire department, the deputy minister responsible for natural disaster recovery, alongside various local and regional authorities.
