English
Earthquakes have been shaking the Greek island of Santorini, occurring every few minutes overnight and into Wednesday. Authorities are strengthening their emergency response in case the series of tremors in recent days signal a larger earthquake ahead.
A coast guard ship and a military landing craft are on standby in the surrounding area for possible evacuations, according to Civil Protection Minister Vassilis Kikilias, who spoke at an emergency meeting in Athens with security officials, scientists, and the prime minister.
“We must prepare for both good and bad scenarios,” Kikilias stated during the televised meeting.
Greece is located in a seismically active zone, where earthquakes are common. However, it is unusual for any region in the country to experience such a continuous series of frequent quakes.
Earthquake prediction is not yet scientifically feasible, and experts cannot confirm whether the seismic activity between the islands of Santorini and Amorgos is an indication of a larger quake to come or part of a series of smaller tremors that may last for weeks or months.
“I understand the fear of being on a constantly shaking Santorini,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, urging residents to stay calm.
In response, authorities have closed access to certain coastal areas and canceled school on several nearby islands for the week. Public events on Santorini have been prohibited, and access to popular cliff-top tourist areas has been restricted.
Many residents and tourists have fled Santorini, fearing the earthquakes, which have ranged from magnitudes 3 to 5 since the weekend. Ferry and airline services have increased their schedules to accommodate the growing demand, though rough weather caused delays to ferry operations on Wednesday.
So far, no injuries or major damage have been reported.
The Ministry of Digital Governance has deployed a mobile satellite communications unit to Santorini, and telecom companies have sent generators and mobile units to Santorini and nearby islands such as Anafi, Amorgos, and Ios.
Additionally, a digital platform, mysafetyplan.gov.gr, has been launched, showing safe gathering points in the event of a disaster.
Monitors have reported heightened volcanic activity within Santorini’s caldera, but scientists have emphasized that the quakes are not related to the volcanoes. They stated that the seismic activity northeast of the island is not expected to trigger either of the two volcanoes in the region.
