Greece has declared a state of emergency on the island of Santorini after a series of earthquakes this week led to the evacuation of more than 10,000 residents and workers.
Hundreds of tremors have been recorded in the Aegean Sea between Santorini and the island of Amorgos this week, with the strongest measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale on Wednesday night.
On Friday during a visit to Santorini, Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged the public to remain calm, and follow the advice of the civil protection service.
The Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry said the state of emergency would be in place until March 3.
The Greek government has deployed the army, fire service and police units to the island as scientists continue to monitor seismic activity in the area.
Mitsotakis said, “Once again, I want to assure the residents of Santorini and the neighboring islands which are being tested these days that the state mechanism is on their side.”
“We hope this phenomenon ends quickly and the island fully returns to its normal pace,” he added.
The tremors have so far caused no injuries or major damage, although some cracks have appeared in buildings on Santorini.
The island of Santorini was created around 1600 BC by one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history, but the last eruption in the area was in 1950.
Unprecedented Seismic Activity
Greece is one of Europe’s most earthquake-prone nations but scientists have described this week’s high seismic activity as unprecedented and could last weeks, or even months.On Wednesday, the Greek authorities on Santorini warned of a high landslide risk on parts of the island.
They have shut schools and advised residents to avoid indoor gatherings.
Santorini is a summer tourist destination, popular for its beaches, beautiful white stone villas, boutique hotels, and infinity pools.
The island’s population swells in summer when millions of tourists, mainly from northern Europe, visit.
The 2021 census puts Santorini’s permanent population at 15,000.
Nikos Sakorafos, owner of a travel agency in the popular tourist village of Fira, said, “Now, it’s a dead season for the island, most people don’t have work so it’s easier for them to leave.”
On Thursday, government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said, “Fire departments, police, coast guard, armed forces, and emergency medical services have immediately reinforced Santorini and surrounding islands with additional personnel and specialized equipment.”
The swarm of earthquakes have prompted the majority of the island’s population to evacuate, with most heading to the Greek mainland by ferry, to stay with relatives or in temporary shelters.
Schools have also been closed as a precaution on several other islands in the Cyclades chain, which is halfway between Athens and the island of Crete.
The governor of the Southeast Aegean region, Giorgos Hatzimarkos, told Greek state television on Wednesday the country’s electricity provider had sent staff and equipment to the island to prepare contingency plans in case of power cuts.
Digital Governance Deputy Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis said the government was working with telecommunications providers to ensure backup plans in case of a network outage.
The authorities have also halted construction on the island and have ordered residents and hotels on Santorini and neighboring Ios, Amorgos, and Anafi to empty their pools to reduce the burden on the ground.
