A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2 has hit the Greek island of Santorini, triggering a state of emergency that has emptied the popular tourist destination. The quake, which occurred on Wednesday evening, is the strongest to affect the island in days of near-constant tremors.
The Greek Civil Protection Ministry has activated its response mechanism and declared the state of emergency until March 3. Around 11,000 people are believed to have fled the island, with authorities arranging additional flights to transport them to safety on the mainland.
Santorini’s unique geology makes it prone to seismic activity, but intense tremors like Wednesday’s are rare. The nearby islands of Amorgos and Ios have also been affected by quakes. While no major damage has been reported, authorities are taking precautions ahead of a potential large-scale earthquake.
The island is home to 20,000 residents and attracts over 3.4 million tourists annually. Its caldera, formed by a massive volcanic eruption around 1600 BC, makes it a geological wonder. The tremors have caused “slight” quakes with magnitudes of up to 3.0 and “moderate” quakes like Wednesday’s 5.2 magnitude.
The last major quake to hit Santorini occurred in 1956, killing at least 53 people and injuring over 100 others. Authorities are urging citizens to cooperate with the response efforts and remain vigilant as the situation develops.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/06/travel/santorini-greece-earthquake-strong-intl/index.html