The Greek island of Santorini has been hit by an earthquake, following several days during which over 200 tremors were detected under the sea.
Officials and locals were prepared, with schools closed and advice issued to avoid ports and drain swimming pools. More than 6,000 locals have left the island in the days leading up to the 5.4 scale quake striking on Tuesday, February 4, according to local media.
The underwater quakes also led to precautions being taken on several nearby islands in the Aegean Sea, which are all popular tourist destinations.
Santorini attracts over three million visitors every year, with daily arrivals via flights, ferries and cruise ships. In the main town of Fira, local authorities organised gathering points for residents in the event of an evacuation. Mayor Nikos Zorzos gave reassurance that such measures were only temporary.
He said: “We are obliged to make preparations. But being prepared for something does not mean it will happen,” he said during a weekend briefing. “Sometimes, the way the situation is reported, those reports may contain exaggerations… so people should stay calm.”
Speaking at an emergency government meeting on Sunday, Greek Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias said: “These measures are precautionary, and authorities will remain vigilant. We urge citizens to strictly adhere to safety recommendations to minimize risk.”
Experts said the tremors, measuring up to magnitude 4.8, are not linked to the island’s volcano, or caldera, but acknowledge that the recent seismic activity is alarming. Locals have expressed their own concerns after these were felt on Sunday night and into Monday, reports the Mirror.
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Michalis Gerontakis, who is also the director of the Santorini Philharmonic Orchestra, said: “I have never felt anything like this and with such frequency – an earthquake every 10 or 20 minutes. Everyone is anxious even if some of us hide it not to cause panic, but everyone is worried.
“We came out yesterday and performed. Despite the earthquakes, the Philharmonic performed for a religious occasion. When you are playing, you cannot feel the quakes but there were earthquakes when we were at the church. No one can know what will happen. People can say whatever they like, but that has no value. You cannot contend with nature.”
Government officials met with experts during the weekend and on Monday to assess the situation, with schools closed on the nearby islands of Amorgos, Anafi and Ios by official order.
Santorini residents and visitors were advised not to hold large indoor gatherings and avoid areas at risk of landslides, while hotels were instructed to drain pools to reduce the risk of damage to buildings.
Firefighters who arrived on the island on Sunday set up yellow tents as a staging area next to the main hospital. Fire brigadier Ioannis Billias said: “We arrived last night, a 26-member team of rescuers and one rescue dog.”
He added that several locals, including entire families, spent Sunday night in their cars as quakes reaching over magnitude 4.0 rumbled across the island.
Greek seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos warned that the current earthquake sequence could be a warning of a larger event still to come. Writing online, he said: “The number of tremors has increased, magnitudes have risen, and epicenters have shifted northeast. While these are tectonic quakes, not volcanic, the risk level has escalated.”
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