This Thursday, the Government of Greece decreed a state of emergency on the Greek island due to the seismic movements that have been recorded in the area for almost two weeks. The measure will be in effect until March 1st.
PUBLICIDAD
And about 700 earthquakes have shaken the island and its surroundings since January 24th, according to Greek authorities.
PUBLICIDAD
Although no injuries or damages have been reported in Santorini, more than half of its 15,000 inhabitants have decided to evacuate, with the majority heading towards mainland Greece.
Pavlos Marinakis, government spokesperson, said that with the declaration, authorities want to address any potential emergencies that may occur and manage their possible consequences.
Likewise, he stated that several emergency services are already mobilized to support the island if necessary, specifying that "the fire department, police, coast guard, armed forces, and emergency medical services have reinforced Santorini and neighboring islands with additional personnel and specialized equipment."
As a precautionary measure, authorities have already suspended classes and construction works, while recommending the population to stay away from certain coastal areas.
On the other hand, Athanassios Ganas, Research Director of the Institute of Geodynamics at the National Observatory of Greece, said that "this is the first time this has happened", and that the area recorded more than 40 earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 4.0 just this week.
Santorini is located on a volcano that last erupted in 1950, although a committee of experts said this week that the phenomenon of high seismic activity currently being experienced is not related to volcanic activity.
However, they fear that at some point an earthquake greater than 6 may occur, without being clear on where or when it could take place, or how much longer the current sequence of tremors will last.
The strongest earthquake so far had a magnitude of 5.2, and it was recorded last Wednesday.
The keys
Last week, scientists indicated that they had observed an increase in volcanic activity in the caldera of Santorini, or flooded crater, but they say that the current earthquakes are not related.
The fault that causes earthquakes extends for about 120 kilometers (75 miles), but so far only a part of it, between the islands of Santorini and Amorgos, has been activated.
The epicenters are located under the seabed, which scientists consider good news, as earthquakes centered underground could potentially be more destructive. However, a large earthquake could also trigger a tsunami.