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Santorini rattled by earthquakes: Evacuations underway

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for calm as a series of rolling earthquakes continues to unsettle the residents of Santorini and the surrounding Aegean islands. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported that the tremors came within a few minutes of each other, with the largest quake reaching 5.1 magnitude on Monday afternoon.

Speaking from Brussels, Mitsotakis made a statement where he underscored that the authorities were closely monitoring this “very intense” geological activity and urged islanders to remain calm before this ordeal.

In view of the continued shaking, thousands of residents and tourists have begun leaving Santorini and nearby islands such as Anafi, Ios, and Amorgos. Despite the fact that so far the earthquakes have caused no injuries and hardly any material damage, there is a feeling these could be forerunners of a more serious earthquake.

Santorini, famous for its stunning crescent shape and dormant volcano, has seen an estimated 200 quakes of magnitude 3 or higher. But an expert committee monitoring the situation has made clear that the current seismic activity is “not linked to volcanic activity.”

Prominent seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos warned that the increasing frequency and intensity of the earthquakes—visible as a growing cluster on live seismic maps—could be a harbinger of a bigger event to come. “All scenarios remain open,” he wrote in an online post, pointing out that even though the quakes are tectonic rather than volcanic, the risk level has increased.

More than three million people come to Santorini each year, attracted by its white-washed villages perched perilously along dramatic cliffs. Its volcanic history includes one of the largest eruptions in human history around 1620 BC, which devastated much of the area and contributed to the decline of the ancient Minoan civilization.

While the volcano is still considered active, the last serious eruption occurred in 1950. According to Seismologist Efthymios Lekkas, huge explosions in the Santorini volcano occur every 20,000 years, which means there is yet time for the next one.

Reports say that, in total, close to 2,000 left Santorini by sea during the weekend; ferry operators and airlines added services after a request from the Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection. Tourism to the island has boomed over the last few years but, due to cooler winter weather, the usual crowds are nowhere near this time of year.

Kostas Sakavaras, a local tourist guide with 17 years of experience, described seismicity as unprecedented: “It was shaking every three to four hours yesterday. This feels different from the other times,” he said. Sakavaras left with his family on Sunday and does not plan to return until conditions stabilize on the mainland.

In response to the shaking, emergency crews have erected tents adjacent to the main hospital, and schools on all four islands are closed. Authorities also pushed alerts to cell phones, telling residents to avoid rockslide areas and limiting access to some coasts.

Source
Al Jazeera

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