A video capturing landslides on Santorini highlights the potential risks after a series of earthquakes in the Cyclades’ sea region, sparking concerns about the possibility of a major quake.
Six tremors whose magnitude exceeded 4 were recorded between 09:36 and 11:29 on Monday, with the largest at 11:29 having a magnitude of 4.9 and an epicenter 25 kilometers SSW of Arkesini, Amorgos. This was followed by another quake of magnitude 4.9 at 2:17 p.m. on Monday, with an epicenter 18 km south-southwest of Arkesini, Amorgos, and 231 km southeast of Athens.
Related: Greek Scientists Rule Out Massive Earthquake in Santorini
“The sequence that is underway north of Santorini has a tectonic origin, it started from volcanic excitation, which began on August 2, 2024 with a slow expansion of the volcano. There is an ongoing seismovolcanic crisis in the Thera-Kolumbo volcanic complex, which is being monitored, and all measures are being taken for the possible scenarios,” said Athanasios Ganas, the director of Research at the Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens.
Precautions after landslides in Santorini
Precautions were also ordered on several nearby Aegean Sea islands – all popular summer vacation destinations – after more than 200 undersea earthquakes were recorded in the area over the past three days.
“We have a very intense geological phenomenon to handle,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said from Brussels, where he was attending a European meeting. “I want to ask our islanders first and foremost to remain calm, to listen to the instructions of the Civil Protection (authority).”
Mobile phones on the island blared with alert warnings about the potential for rock slides, while several earthquakes caused loud rumbles. Authorities banned access to some seaside areas, including the island’s old port, that are in close proximity to cliffs.
“These measures are precautionary, and authorities will remain vigilant,” Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias said late Sunday following an emergency government meeting in Athens. “We urge citizens to strictly adhere to safety recommendations to minimize risk.”
The frequency of the quakes, which continued throughout Sunday night and into Monday, has worried residents and visitors.
Residents and visitors were advised to avoid large indoor gatherings and areas where rock slides could occur, while hotels were instructed to drain swimming pools to reduce potential building damage from an earthquake.
Fire service rescuers who arrived on the island on Sunday set up yellow tents as a staging area inside a basketball court next to the island’s main hospital.
Some residents and local workers headed to travel agents seeking plane or ferry tickets to leave the island.
Crescent-shaped Santorini is a premier tourism destination with daily arrivals via commercial flights, ferries, and cruise ships. The island draws more than 3 million visitors annually to its whitewashed villages built along dramatic cliffs formed by a massive volcanic eruption – considered to be one of the largest in human history – more than 3,500 years ago.
Related: Growing Magma Under Santorini Volcano a ‘Real Threat’