- Santorini Declares State of Emergency after strongest earthquake in days of ongoing tremors.
- Over 11,000 People Flee the popular tourist island amid fears of a larger quake.
- Authorities Take Precautions as seismic activity continues near tectonic plate boundary.
A state of emergency has been declared in Santorini following the strongest earthquake recorded in days of continuous seismic activity, which has driven thousands of residents and visitors to flee the popular Greek island.
On Wednesday evening, a 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck Santorini—the first tremor to exceed 5.0 since the wave of quakes began last week. In response, Greece’s Civil Protection Ministry placed the island under a state of emergency until March 3 to manage the escalating crisis.
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Approximately 11,000 people have evacuated Santorini, which welcomes over 3.4 million tourists annually and is home to about 20,000 permanent residents. Authorities arranged additional flights to facilitate evacuations, but strong winds temporarily halted ferry services on Wednesday before normal operations resumed on Thursday.
Located near the boundary of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, Santorini frequently experiences seismic activity, though rarely at such an intense and prolonged level. The tremors have also affected nearby islands, including Amorgos and Ios.
While no major structural damage has been reported, officials are preparing for the possibility of a more powerful earthquake. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged citizens to follow official instructions, emphasizing that “the entire state mechanism has been activated” to respond to the crisis.
Santorini’s landscape is shaped by millennia of geological activity, including the formation of its famous caldera—created by a massive volcanic eruption around 1600 BC.
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Since the tremors began, hundreds of minor quakes measuring around 3.0 in magnitude have been recorded. Wednesday’s 5.2-magnitude quake, classified as “moderate,” was followed by at least five aftershocks exceeding 4.0.
The most devastating earthquake in Santorini’s modern history struck in 1956, measuring 7.5 in magnitude. It resulted in at least 53 deaths and over 100 injuries.
