Santorini Shaken – Thousands of Earthquakes Spark Emergency
Santorini, one of Greece’s most iconic islands, is currently experiencing a relentless earthquake swarm, shaking the region thousands of times over the past two weeks. The Greek government has declared a state of emergency, and the usually bustling tourist hub has become eerily quiet as thousands of residents and visitors evacuate, fearing what might come next.
The seismic activity started subtly in late January, with minor tremors mostly going unnoticed. However, by early February, the situation escalated rapidly. Now, earthquakes measuring over 4.0 in magnitude are striking up to 30 times a day, with the strongest so far reaching 5.1 on February 6. These quakes are shallow—less than 10 km deep—making them powerful enough to be felt across the Aegean Sea, even as far as Athens and parts of Turkey. While no major structural damage has been reported, rockfalls have occurred along the island’s cliffs, and some older buildings have sustained minor damage.
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The fear gripping Santorini is not just about the earthquakes themselves but what they might indicate. This region lies within the Hellenic subduction zone, where the African tectonic plate pushes beneath the Eurasian plate, creating volcanic and seismic activity. Santorini, a partially submerged volcanic caldera, has a history of catastrophic eruptions, with the last one occurring in the 1950s. While scientists closely monitoring the island report no immediate signs of volcanic activity, uncertainty remains.
Unlike typical earthquakes, which have a single large mainshock followed by aftershocks, this event appears to be an "earthquake swarm." In these cases, multiple quakes of similar strength occur over weeks or even months, driven by underground fluid movements or shifting faults. The last major earthquake in this area happened in 1956, a 7.8 magnitude disaster followed by a deadly tsunami. Could something similar happen now? While predicting earthquakes is nearly impossible, experts say a larger quake cannot be ruled out.
For now, Santorini remains in limbo. Schools are closed, rescue teams are on standby, and electricity networks are under inspection. More than 11,000 people have already left, but some locals remain, determined to stay despite the uncertainty. Scientists are closely watching the situation, hoping that the swarm will gradually ease. But with the earth still trembling beneath their feet, the people of Santorini can only wait and see what happens next.
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