SANTORINI has been rattled by yet more earthquakes, just hours after Greek authorities declared a state of emergency on the island.
The popular tourist hotspot is in crisis mode after thousands of tremors forced authorities to take drastic action.
Since Sunday, almost 15,000 individuals, primarily scared mothers and children, have evacuated, while local men have chosen to remain to safeguard their homes from potential looters.
Thursday evening saw a 4.6-magnitude earthquake hitting the sea between Santorini and Amorgos at 8:16 pm local time, with a 4.2-magnitude tremor following roughly two hours later.
The latest shocks come after a powerful 5.2-magnitude earthquake rattled the region on Wednesday, the strongest recorded so far.
“The men are staying back to take care of all our belongings,” Chryssa Pappas had shared with The Sun while preparing to board a ferry with her young son and daughter.
“We’re all really scared. Our island is shaking constantly, and no one seems to know what will happen next.”
Greek seismologist Akis Tselepis warned that the same fault line responsible for the catastrophic 1956 earthquake—which killed 50 people and injured hundreds—has been reactivated.
“The seismic activity is not withdrawing, on the contrary, it is gaining in momentum,” he said.
“The worst-case scenario is that we will again see an earthquake of the same magnitude.”
Santorini’s Thira Municipality confirmed the emergency measures will remain in place until March 3.
“A state of emergency has been decided to confront urgent needs and deal with the consequences that have arisen from the seismic activity,” it said in a statement.
The island’s dramatic cliffs have been scarred by landslides, with clouds of dust rising as rocks crash into the sea.
Police have cordoned off large parts of the island, and fears of a tsunami have prompted residents to build makeshift defences along Monolithos beach.
Authorities have deployed military and fire brigade personnel “for security reasons,” alongside social workers and psychologists to help displaced residents.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to visit Santorini on Friday.
“All plans have been implemented. Forces have been moved to Santorini and the other islands so that we are ready for any eventuality,” he said earlier in the week, urging residents to remain calm.
Seismologists are baffled by the unusual “clusters” of quakes, which don’t fit the typical pattern of a main shock followed by aftershocks.
Since February 1, a staggering 108 earthquakes measuring over 4.0 on the Richter scale have been recorded — more than in the entire year of 2023.
In total, over 7,700 tremors have shaken the region in just one week.
Dr Athanassios Ganas, research director of the National Observatory of Athens, called the crisis “unprecedented” in modern Greek history.
“We are in the middle of a seismic crisis,” he told the BBC.
Some experts fear the ongoing tremors could be a prelude to a devastating event.
Professor of Seismology and Geology, Efthimios Lekkas, warned that a magnitude 6.0 earthquake is still possible in the coming days.
While Greek officials insist the activity is linked to tectonic plate movements and not volcanic activity, no one can predict how long the island will remain on edge — or whether an even bigger shock is coming.
Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
