Athens, Greece – The volcanic island of Santorini has experienced a series of earthquakes occurring every few minutes throughout the night and into Wednesday, leading authorities to enhance their emergency preparedness in case these numerous tremors signal a forthcoming large earthquake. Over the past few days, hundreds of small earthquakes have been recorded, prompting concerns among officials.
During an emergency assembly in Athens that included security personnel, scientists, and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias emphasized the need for comprehensive planning. “We are required to formulate scenarios to anticipate both positive and adverse outcomes of the ongoing seismic activity,” he stated in a broadcasted meeting.
While scientists acknowledge that predicting earthquakes is not feasible, they remain uncertain whether the quakes occurring between Santorini and the nearby island of Amorgos are merely part of a sequence of smaller earthquakes or if they could lead to a more significant seismic event. “I comprehend the anxiety that arises from experiencing constant movement on Santorini,” Prime Minister Mitsotakis remarked, urging calmness among residents and urging them to adhere to official guidance.
In response to the situation, search and rescue teams equipped with dogs and drones have been deployed to Santorini since last Sunday. Access to several coastal areas has been restricted, and schools across various islands have been closed for the week. Public gatherings on Santorini have also been canceled, and local authorities have limited access to popular cliffside tourist spots.
As a result of the seismic uptick, thousands of residents and tourists have evacuated Santorini, many alarmed by the numerous quakes registering between magnitudes of 3 to 5 since the weekend. To meet the surge in demand for transportation, ferry companies and airlines have expanded their services this week. Nevertheless, rough weather caused disruptions to ferry systems on Wednesday.
So far, the earthquakes, which predominantly have their epicenters beneath the sea between Santorini and Amorgos, have not resulted in any reported injuries or major structural damage. Though some older buildings have experienced minor cracking and there have been limited rockslides on the island.
Greece is located in a seismic hotspot, experiencing frequent earthquakes; however, it is unusual for any region to endure such a persistent wave of tremors. While authorities noted that increased volcanic activity was detected within Santorini’s caldera last week, experts have clarified that this is not related to the current seismic events. Additionally, they believe that the present activity northeast of the island is unlikely to impact the local volcanoes.
Giorgos Hatzimarkos, the regional governor of the Southeast Aegean, mentioned in statements to the media that the national electricity company had dispatched personnel and equipment to the island to prepare for potential power outages, and civil engineers were evaluating the structural integrity of the roadways.
Furthermore, Konstantinos Kyranakis, the Deputy Minister for Digital Governance, indicated that the government was coordinating with telecommunication firms to establish contingency strategies in the event of network failures in the region.
