Emergency Teams Mobilized on Santorini Amidst Earthquake Swarm Concerns for Greek Authorities

SANTORINI (Greece), Feb 3:

On Monday, schools were closed and emergency response teams were dispatched to the volcanic island of Santorini following a surge in seismic activity that raised alarms about a potential powerful earthquake.

Precautionary measures were also implemented on several nearby Aegean Sea islands, all of which are well-known summer tourist spots, after over 200 underwater earthquakes were recorded in just three days.

“These actions are preventative, and authorities will remain alert,” stated Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias late Sunday after an emergency government session in Athens. “We encourage citizens to adhere closely to safety guidelines to minimize risks.”

Although Greek experts indicate that the quakes, reaching magnitudes up to 4.7, are not associated with Santorini’s volcano, they acknowledge that the sequence of seismic activity is concerning.

Government officials met with scientists over the weekend and on Monday to evaluate the situation, prompting the closure of schools on the nearby islands of Amorgos, Anafi, and Ios.

Residents and visitors of Santorini were advised to steer clear of large indoor gatherings and areas prone to rock slides. Hotels were instructed to empty swimming pools to help prevent potential damage to buildings from an earthquake.

Fire service rescuers who arrived on the island on Sunday established a staging area with yellow tents in a basketball court beside the island’s main hospital.

“We arrived last night with a 26-member rescue team and one rescue dog,” said fire brigadier Ioannis Billias.

Seismic activity persisted throughout the night and into Monday morning, with many quakes exceeding magnitude 4.0. Billias reported that numerous residents, including entire families, opted to spend the night in their vehicles.

Santorini, with its crescent shape, is a major tourist destination, receiving daily visitors through commercial flights, ferries, and cruise ships, attracting over 3 million people each year to its picturesque whitewashed villages set on dramatic cliffs formed by a massive volcanic eruption over 3,500 years ago.

Prominent Greek seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos warned that the ongoing sequence of earthquakes, depicted on live seismic maps as an increasing cluster between the islands of Santorini, Ios, Amorgos, and Anafi, might signal a larger seismic event on the horizon.

“All scenarios remain on the table,” Papadopoulos noted in an online post. “The frequency of tremors has increased, magnitudes have surged, and epicenters have shifted to the northeast. While these quakes are tectonic rather than volcanic, the risk level has risen.”

In Santorini’s main town of Fira, local officials established gathering points for residents in anticipation of a possible evacuation, though Mayor Nikos Zorzos stressed that these measures are purely precautionary.

“We must prepare ourselves. However, just because we are prepared for something doesn’t mean it will actually occur,” he stated during a weekend briefing. “At times, media reports may contain exaggerations, so it’s important for people to remain calm.” (AP)