Multiple tremors near Greek island of Santorini shut schools and put residents on edge

A series of earthquakes near the Greek island of Santorini has led authorities to close schools, dispatch search and rescue teams and dogs, and issue instructions to residents, including emptying swimming pools. Although seismologists say the more than 200 tremors that have occurred in the area since early Friday are unrelated to Santorini's volcano, local residents are still feeling uneasy. The volcano was responsible for one of the largest volcanic eruptions in human history.

The Athens Geodynamic Institute stated that the strongest earthquake, recorded at 3:55 pm local time on Sunday, measured 4.6 on the Richter scale with a depth of 14 kilometers. This was followed by several earthquakes over magnitude 4 and dozens of magnitude 3 tremors. There have been no reports of any injuries or property damage so far. Seismologists and officials from the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry and the Fire Department are meeting daily and decided to close schools on Monday on Santorini and the nearby islands of Amorgos, Anafi, and Ios.

Following Sunday's meeting, they also advised residents and hotel owners on Santorini to empty their swimming pools, fearing that large volumes of water could destabilize buildings in the event of a strong earthquake. Another meeting was arranged by the Prime Minister's office on Sunday evening to meet with the heads of the Greek Armed Forces and other officials. The Fire Department dispatched a rescue team, including search and rescue dogs, on Saturday, and sent more units on Sunday as a precaution. Rescue personnel have already set up tents in open areas.

Residents on the island have been advised to avoid large outdoor gatherings and to be cautious of falling rocks while moving around the island. All four islands have steep cliffs, and in the case of Santorini, much of the main town is built on the edge of these cliffs. Experts say it is impossible to predict whether the seismic activity will lead to stronger tremors, but added that the area could experience a magnitude 6 earthquake. Minor seismic activity has also been recorded at the volcanic vent of Santorini (mostly underwater) since September.

The strongest earthquake recorded was on January 25th, with a magnitude of 3.8. Experts say that seismic activity within the volcano has weakened since then. Around 1600 BC, the eruption of the Santorini volcano destroyed the island, buried a town, and triggered massive earthquakes and floods that impacted Crete and even Egypt. Experts estimate that as much as 41.3 cubic kilometers of rock was ejected at the time, and that a 9-meter high tsunami hit Crete. In the 1990s, the Santorini volcano was designated as one of 16 volcanoes worldwide that needed to be monitored due to its history of large eruptions and its proximity to populated areas.