Since January 27, the Greek islands of Santorini and Amorgos have been rattled by an ongoing earthquake swarm, with over 1,000 individual seismic events recorded.
The continuous tremors have prompted concern among residents and authorities, leading to precautionary measures and travel disruptions.
The seismic activity, characterised by hundreds of quakes with magnitudes between 3 and 4.9, has been concentrated between Santorini and the nearby island of Amorgos, both part of the Cyclades Islands.
About 10,000 people have left on ferries and planes in recent days as hundreds of small quakes were registered in the surrounding sea, shaking buildings, kicking up dust on the island’s rocky cliffs, and raising fears of a major earthquake.
According to the Geodynamic Institute, there have been 440 earthquakes below a magnitude of three. Seismologists estimate that the high seismic activity could take days or weeks to abate, although locals and government officials said the shaking had lessened on Wednesday.
The most significant quake reached a magnitude of 5.1. Seismologists describe the event as a series of tremors of similar magnitude occurring in clusters, an unusual occurrence given the absence of a preceding major quake.
Greece is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in Europe as it sits at the boundary of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates whose constant interaction prompts frequent quakes.
While the epicenters are beneath the seabed, which mitigates potential destructiveness, experts have not ruled out the possibility of a volcanic eruption or tsunami.
In response, Greek authorities have implemented emergency measures, including deploying rescue crews and a 26-member rescue team with a rescue dog to the region. Schools have been closed on Santorini, Anafi, Amorgos, and Ios, and access to cliffside areas has been restricted due to the risk of landslides.
Santorini took its current shape following one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history, around 1600 BC. The last eruption in the area occurred in 1950.
