High Seismic Activity Forces Evacuations from Santorini

Santorini residents and visitors scrambled to leave the Greek island on Monday as dozens of tremors continued to shake the region for a fourth consecutive day. The quakes, some with magnitudes above 4, prompted authorities to close schools on Santorini and nearby islands, including Ios, Amorgos, and Anafi, until Friday. Disaster response units were deployed as a precaution, and people were urged to stay out of indoor spaces and small ports.

Local officials noted that while permanent residents were accustomed to earthquakes, many visitors and workers were leaving the island. “There have been continuous tremors every five minutes for three days. We couldn’t sleep last night,” said Tzanis Lignos, who left with his family after managing to secure tickets. Aegean Airlines arranged extra flights upon the request of Greece’s Civil Protection Ministry to facilitate travel for those evacuating the island.

Experts, including Efthymios Lekkas, a professor of tectonic geology and disaster management, warned that seismic activity is expected to persist for several weeks. The tremors come in an area historically known for tectonic and volcanic activity, with the last major volcanic eruption occurring in 1950. However, experts clarified that the mild volcanic activity observed recently near Santorini is unrelated to the current quakes.

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