Greece has announced a state of emergency on Santorini following a series of earthquakes that rocked the popular tourist destination this week.
Over 11,000 locals and seasonal workers have evacuated the island via sea and air.
Since Sunday, hundreds of nearly continuous tremors have been detected in the waters between Santorini and Amorgos.
The strongest quake recorded last night had a magnitude of 5.2.
Military, fire service, and police units have been mobilized.
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The Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry stated that the state of emergency will remain in effect until March 3, to effectively address the needs of the population and the aftermath of the seismic activity.
Experts have noted that this region has not faced seismic events of this magnitude since records began in 1964.
No injuries or damages have been reported so far.
Read more: Thousands flee as new tremors afflict Santorini. Greek PM urges calm after ‘very intense’ tremors on the island.
Greece ranks among Europe’s most earthquake-prone nations, yet seismologists have remarked that the current tremors are unusual and may persist for weeks or even months.
The Athens Geodynamic Institute, the nation’s foremost authority on seismic analysis, indicated, “The intensity is decreasing, but it has not yet stabilized.”
“We are currently at the midpoint,” it noted.
The institute reported over 6,000 tremors have been recorded near the islands of Santorini, Amorgos, Anafi, and Ios since January 26.
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Santorini acquired its present form following one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history, around 1600 BC.
The island welcomed approximately 3.4 million visitors in 2023, with over one million arriving as cruise ship passengers.
