A series of earthquakes, including one measuring 4.2 magnitude, have rattled Santorini and surrounding Aegean Sea islands, prompting fears and evacuation preparations. While experts say the seismic activity is not linked to the volcano, over 200 undersea tremors have been recorded in recent days, leading to widespread anxiety among locals. Schools are closed, evacuation points established, and residents are advised to exercise caution.
Earthquakes have rattled Santorini with frightened residents fleeing the Greek holiday island and evacuation plans being drawn up.
Experts say the seismic activity that has hit the area since early Friday is not related to the volcano in Santorini, which once produced one of the biggest eruptions in human history. But the island's 15,000 locals are on edge with some fleeing already and others choosing to sleep outside or in their cars.
More than 200 undersea tremors were recorded off the coast of Santorini over the last few days - the largest of which measured a magnitude of 4.7 Greek media said several people spent the night outdoors, either in their cars or areas designated as safe by the authorities. Earthquake experts and officials from the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection and the fire service have been meeting daily and decided to close schools Monday on the island of Santorini as well as nearby Amorgos, Anafi and Ios.
A shocking video taken on the island this morning, and shared on social media, shows the coastline of Santorini shaking violently with clouds of dust billowing into the air Experts said it was impossible to predict whether the seismic activity could lead to a stronger tremor, but added that the area could potentially produce a 6 magnitude quake.
In the 1990s, the Santorini volcano was designated a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior . The spate prompted Greece's civil protection late on Saturday to order schools closed down into Monday, while tents sprang up to house rescue teams sent to the island in response.
'When you have a sequence next to you that is so vivid, so intense, you have to be a bit careful, precisely because there is always the risk of that happening.'Images from the picturesque island in July 2024 show masses of tourists queuing on narrow walkways along white buildings with the famous sea-blue domes for the best holiday shots
Furious locals threatened to leave Santorini after officials told them to keep out of the way of the thousands of tourists who descend on the small island every day Visitor numbers grew from the 1960s as it gained a reputation for its stunning views and iconic architecture - but development on the island failed to keep pace.
In 2024 Santorini Mayor Nikos Zorzos proposed to cap the number of cruise ship passengers arriving on the island to 8,000 a day - a move backed by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
EARTHQUAKES SANTORINI GREECE EVACUATION VOLCANO SEISMIC ACTIVITY
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