Scientists have detected thousands of earthquakes near Greece’s volcanic island of Santorini over the past two weeks, sparking concerns about a potential larger quake. The majority of the quakes, with magnitudes as small as 3, have been recorded in just over two weeks. Authorities have declared a state of emergency on the island and are taking precautions to protect residents and tourists.
Thousands of people have left Santorini due to the increased seismic activity, which has also caused schools to close for the week. Emergency medical teams have been deployed to the island’s hospital, with six disaster medicine teams ready as reinforcements. The government is closely monitoring the situation, with scientists using surveying equipment to track the quakes.
The unusual earthquake swarm near Santorini has raised concerns about a potential main quake. While some of the quakes are small, others have magnitudes greater than 4, and several large quakes have struck in recent days. Scientists say it’s unclear whether these events are precursors to a larger quake or will continue with frequent lower magnitude quakes.
Greece is located in a seismically active region, but such an intense barrage of earthquakes for an extended period is rare. The island’s unique landscape was shaped by a massive volcanic eruption in antiquity, and millions of tourists visit each year to see the dramatic scenery of whitewashed houses and blue-domed churches clinging to the rim of the caldera.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/greece-santorini-earthquakes-evacuation-f3477a7000f547d2c6b3b5d797612a70