Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said authorities were monitoring a 'very intense' geological phenomenon over recent days, adding: 'I want to ask our islanders above all to remain calm.'
Santorini locals are fleeing the island after the holiday hotspot was hit by hundreds of earthquake tremors that sparked landslides.
More than 200 undersea tremors were recorded off the coast of several Aegean Sea islands over the last few days - the largest of which measured at a magnitude of 4.9The island's 15,000 locals are on edge with some fleeing already and others choosing to sleep outside or in their carsFootage 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.
Britain and France issued travel warnings, urging their nationals to follow the advice of local officials. 'This feels different' - Kostas Sakavaras, a tourist guide who has lived on the island for 17 years, told AFP he had never experienced this level of seismic activity before. Aegean Airlines, Greece's biggest carrier, said it had dedicated four additional flights to and from Santorini, and two on Tuesday after a request from the country's civil protection ministry.Ferry operator Attica Group said it was sending an additional ship late Monday and could contribute more if needed.
After Sunday's meeting, they also advised residents and hotel owners in Santorini to drain their swimming pools over concerns that large volumes of water could destabilize buildings in case of a strong quake. Queues to buy boat and plane tickets to leave Santorini. Despite the evacuation order yet to be put out, many concerned locals have already fled the island
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 .A view of Santorini's principal city of Fira and the caldera below - the above-water part of its volcanoThe Decade Volcanoes are 16 volcanoes around the world that need to monitored because of past massive eruptions and proximity to dense population areas.
Authorities and experts said the tremors were triggered by tectonic rather than volcanic activity - dampening fears of a destructive eruption. Hundreds of tourists perch on the steep hills in Santorini to watch and photograph the famed sunset on July 25, 2024 Locals have increasingly voiced their outrage at the perceived over-saturation of the picturesque isle in the Aegean, with 17,000 tourists expected to arrive each day in the peak holiday season, according to councillor Panos Kavallaris.
Mr Kavallaris previously urged residents in a since-deleted Facebook post to stay at home and avoid the 17,000 tourists he said authorities expect to arrive on the island per day. The measure is due to be introduced this year. However, some holidaymakers have claimed that the image of the island swamped by tourists is not accurate.
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