THE Greek island of Santorini is bracing for a major earthquake after a series of mini-quakes sparked safety and looting fears.
Earthquakes began over the weekend but have escalated significantly in the last 24 hours, continuously shaking the volcanic island every few minutes from Tuesday night into Wednesday.
Scientists are now alerting the public to the potential of a significant earthquake in the area, with the likelihood of reaching a magnitude of 6 as the smaller tremors grow in intensity.
A warning of a larger quake to come is being reported every 10 minutes on the island and could last for weeks.
Rescue teams, drones, and search dogs have been dispatched in anticipation of a major quake, as the strongest tremors recorded so far have reached 4.9 on the Richter scale.
An emergency announcement was issued by the Interdisciplinary Committee for Risk and Crisis Management of the National University of Athens on Wednesday.
It declared that between February 2 and 5, “seismicity in the Santorini-Amorgos zone intensified even more.”
Data collected on February 2 showed over 1,300 earthquakes took place followed by more than 1,400 the following day.
In total between January 26 and February 3, there were 6,400 recorded quakes between the volcanic island of Santorini and Amorgos.
The committee warned that the “number of earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.5 is gradually increasing per day.”
Five were recorded on Sunday, seven on Monday, and nine on Tuesday and continued recordings into the early hours of Wednesday with over 30 detected, the biggest being 4.4 in magnitude.
It is possible that this activity “stimulates the rupture of a significant part of a large active fault in the area, thus giving rise to a main earthquake,” they said.
Schools have closed and ferry and flight operators have ramped up services to depart the island.
Shocking footage shows horror landslides, leaving behind large clouds of dust just along the edge of Santorini’s stunning, all-white landscape.
With around 11,000 people fleeing their homes after the continuous rumbles and horror landslides, officials are concerned about criminals who may make the most of the opportunity.
Police have been put on high alert and officials have increased their patrols in Fira, the island’s capital while also enforcing roadblocks to try and stop break ins and looting.
‘EVERYONE IS WORRIED’
One local business man told Proto Thema: “We are afraid that some will take advantage of the situation and start breaking into houses.
“We have already heard about incidents.”
Speaking of the days-long mini quakes, fellow local Michalis Gerontakis said “everyone is worried.”
He said: “I have never felt anything like this and with such frequency – an earthquake every 10 or 20 minutes.
“Everyone is anxious even if some of us hide it not to cause panic, but everyone is worried.”
Nadia Benomar a tour guide from Morocco who has lived on Santorini for 19 years rushed to buy a ferry ticket to flee to the nearby island of Naxos.
She said: “We’ve had earthquakes before but never anything like this. This feels different.”
Nadia joined hundreds of others at the island’s main port on Monday to catch a ferry.
The Ministry of Shipping confirmed that between Sunday and Tuesday over 9,500 people fled by sea alone.
Those who have stayed behind have been alerted on their phones to the dangers of the quakes and falling rubble with many areas near cliffs being closed off as a safety measure.
Citizens and tourists have been advised to avoid abandoned buildings, choose safe travel routes and avoid places at risk of landslides, and become aware of designated refuge areas.
They have also been told to move away from coastal regions if strong vibrations are detected.
Santorini is not the only island at risk of a massive earthquake with nearby islands Amorgos, Anafi and Ios also on high alert after over 200 undersea tremors were recorded over the past three days.
Speaking from Brussels, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: “We have a very intense geological phenomenon to handle.
“I want to ask our islanders first and foremost to remain calm, listen to the instructions of the Civil Protection Authority.”
The Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias urged citizens late on Sunday to “strictly adhere to safety recommendations to minimise risk”.
Santorini sits in the middle of the Aegean Sea Plate and close to an active volcanic arc that runs between Greece and Turkey across the Aegean.
