A swarm of hundreds of earthquakes has rattled Greece’s Cyclades islands, with scientists warning that a stronger tremor could be imminent in the region that includes the popular tourist destination of Santorini.
The largest shock so far measured 5.0 magnitude, but seismologists say this may not be the main event in the sequence that has been shaking the area between Santorini, Amorgos, Ios, and Anafi islands.
“Unfortunately, the seismic activity is not de-escalating but intensifying. In just these few days of February, we’ve recorded over 40 earthquakes larger than magnitude 4.0,” said seismologist Akis Tselentis told Greek media.
The activity has activated the major Amorgos fault, which was responsible for a destructive 1956 earthquake, Tselentis added.
Airlines have responded to the situation by adding extra flights from Santorini. Aegean Airlines operated nine flights on Monday, including five emergency services, carrying 1,294 passengers to Athens. Sky Express announced free tickets for children under 12 and teachers from the affected islands for flights between February 5-9.
A ministerial meeting is scheduled for Tuesday to assess the situation, while local authorities have implemented precautionary measures.
“The sequence shows characteristics of foreshocks, and as long as the main earthquake doesn’t occur, the expected magnitude keeps increasing,” Tselentis warned, noting that while a quake similar to the 1956 event represents the worst-case scenario, a significant shock is likely soon.
Scientists emphasise that the intense seismic activity is not connected to Santorini’s volcano, though continued vigilance is necessary.
(Pictures by Athens-Macedonian News Agency/Orestis Panayiotou)
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