SANTORINI, Greece — Schools were closed, and emergency teams were dispatched on the volcanic island of Santorini on Monday following an increase in seismic activity that raised alarms about a potentially significant earthquake.
Precautionary measures were also implemented on several nearby islands in the Aegean Sea — all of which are popular summer holiday spots — after over 200 undersea quakes were reported in the region during the past three days.
“We are dealing with a very intense geological event,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated from Brussels, where he was participating in a European meeting. “I urge our island residents to stay calm and follow the directions from the Civil Protection authority.”
Mobile devices on the island emitted alert notifications regarding the risk of rockslides, while several earthquakes generated loud rumblings. Authorities restricted access to certain coastal locations, including the island’s old port, which are near cliffs.
“These precautions are preventative, and officials will continue to monitor the situation,” Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias remarked late Sunday following an emergency government conference in Athens. “We strongly advise citizens to adhere closely to safety guidelines to reduce risk.”
Though Greek experts assert that the quakes, many registering above 4.5 in magnitude, are not connected to Santorini’s volcano, they admit that the ongoing seismic activity is concerning.
Government representatives met with scientists throughout the weekend and again on Monday to evaluate the ongoing situation, while schools were also mandated to close on the nearby islands of Amorgos, Anafi, and Ios.
The persistent quakes, which extended through Sunday night and into Monday, have caused anxiety among residents and visitors.
“I have never experienced anything like this and such frequency — an earthquake every 10 or 20 minutes. Everyone is nervous even if some of us try to hide it to prevent panic, but there is concern among all,” expressed Michalis Gerontakis, who also serves as the director of the Santorini Philharmonic Orchestra.
“We performed yesterday despite the seismic activity, for a religious event,” Gerontakis recounted. “While performing, you don’t really feel the quakes, but they were happening while we were at the church. No one can predict what will happen. People can speculate all they want, but that doesn’t change the reality. Nature is beyond control.”
Residents and tourists were advised to steer clear of large indoor gatherings and locations prone to rockslides, while hotels were instructed to empty swimming pools to limit possible damage from an earthquake.
Fire service rescuers who reached the island on Sunday established yellow tents as a command center in a basketball court adjacent to the main hospital.
“We arrived last night, a team of 26 rescuers and a rescue dog,” fire brigadier Ioannis Billias stated, mentioning that many locals, including entire families, camped out in their vehicles overnight.
Some locals and workers approached travel agents looking for plane or ferry tickets to leave the island.
“We have experienced earthquakes before but never anything like this. This feels distinct,” mentioned Nadia Benomar, a Moroccan tour guide who has resided on the island for 19 years. She purchased a ferry ticket on Monday for the nearby island of Naxos.
“I need a break for a few days until things settle down,” she remarked.
Others expressed a readiness to face the danger. Restaurant employee Yiannis Fragiadakis, who had been away, returned to Santorini on Sunday despite the ongoing quakes.
Fragiadakis expressed, “I’m not scared. Many people are really anxious and are leaving, and when I reached the port it was quite crowded, reminiscent of summer. I intend to remain here and hope the restaurant will resume operations (in three weeks) for the holiday season.”
Soo Jin Kim, a tourist from Seoul, South Korea, who arrived on Sunday for a family vacation, shared her experience. “Last night, we had dinner at the hotel and felt mild tremors about ten times. However, at midnight, we experienced a significant shake, so I checked the news; we’re somewhat worried and half-curiously watching the situation,” she mentioned, adding that she had no plans to alter her travel itinerary.
Santorini, shaped like a crescent, is a top tourism hotspot with daily visitors arriving through commercial flights, ferries, and cruise ships. Over 3 million tourists flock to the island every year to admire its whitewashed buildings perched on dramatic cliffs, which were formed by an enormous volcanic eruption deemed one of the largest in human history over 3,500 years ago.
The eruption, which took place around 1620 B.C., devastated much of the island, covering a vast area with meters (feet) of ash, and is thought to have played a role in the downfall of the ancient Minoan civilization that thrived in the area.
While the volcano remains active, the last significant eruption happened in 1950.
Gerasimos Papadopoulos, a prominent Greek seismologist, warned that the ongoing series of earthquakes—depicted on live seismic maps as a growing cluster of dots between the islands of Santorini, Ios, Amorgos, and Anafi—might signal a larger impending event.
“All possibilities remain on the table,” Papadopoulos stated in an online post. “The frequency of tremors has increased, magnitudes have risen, and epicenters have moved northeast. Though these are tectonic shakes and not volcanic, the risk has heightened.”
In the main town of Fira, local officials have established gathering spots for residents to prepare for a potential evacuation; however, Mayor Nikos Zorzos stressed the precautionary nature of these preparations.
“We must prepare. However, being ready for something does not guarantee it will occur,” he mentioned during a briefing over the weekend. “Sometimes, reports surrounding a situation may be exaggerated… so it’s important for people to remain calm.”
