Strong Earthquake Might Hit Santorini
Seismic activity observed on Santorini and other Greek islands could potentially signal a stronger earthquake, a seismologist warns. Rémi Bossu, the General Secretary of the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, noted that while it takes time to analyze the current situation, he emphasized that series of tremors often precede a more powerful quake, reports NewsBox.
Santorini has declared a state of emergency due to ongoing seismic tremors, leading to an exodus of tourists and local residents. The strongest recorded earthquake occurred on the evening of February 5th, with a magnitude of 5.2, according to CNN.
Santorini sits in a seismically active zone at the boundary of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, but the current intensity and duration of the seismic activity raise concerns. Nearby islands Amorgos and Ios are also experiencing tremors.
Bossu described the current seismic activity as "quite unusual," as typically, after a major earthquake, the aftershocks tend to decrease in strength and frequency. Yet, this situation shows an increase in both magnitude and frequency of tremors.
Hundreds of tremors, occurring every few minutes with a magnitude around 3.0, are considered minor. The earthquake on Wednesday with a magnitude of 5.2 is categorized as moderate, followed by several tremors of magnitude 4.0 and above.
Bossu suggests this behavior might indicate a precursor to a more significant earthquake, prompting Greek authorities to enact precautionary measures, including evacuation and preparing emergency services.
Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the island to assess emergency preparedness and assured residents that the government would provide necessary aid. He expressed hope for a swift end to the seismic activity and a return to normalcy for the island.
The Greek Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization estimates that the intense seismic activity could continue for several more days or even weeks.
Santorini, a popular tourist destination with an annual visitor count exceeding 3.4 million, is home to about 20,000 permanent residents. Reports indicate around 11,000 people have left the island due to the tremors.