Authorities in Greece have declared a state of emergency on a second island Wednesday as a series of earthquakes persistently shake the southeastern Aegean Sea region.

This emergency declaration for Amorgos follows a similar announcement made on February 7 for the nearby island of Santorini, where an unusual spate of tremors has been detected in an underwater area adjacent to both islands, as well as near Ios and Anafi—well-known tourist spots.

While scientists had previously hoped that the seismic activity might decrease, recent quakes hitting a magnitude of around 5 have reignited worries. Seismologists have observed that the epicenter of these tremors is gradually moving north towards Amorgos.

The state of emergency will allow for the swift allocation of resources and emergency services. So far, there has already been considerable mobilization of fire departments, police, coast guard, and military personnel, primarily on Santorini, where a large number of residents and seasonal workers have evacuated the island.

According to the crisis management committee at the University of Athens, around 12,000 earthquakes measuring above magnitude 1 have been recorded since January 26.

Greece is situated in a seismically active region where earthquakes are quite common; however, it is uncommon for any area of the country to experience such a prolonged and intense series of seismic events.