MAGMA MOVING
Elinda Labropoulou and Billy Stockwell,
CNN
Sun, February 2, 2025
Schools will be closed Monday on the iconic Greek island of Santorini after a series of 200 earthquakes shook the popular tourist destination in recent days.
Authorities have also advised residents to avoid large indoor gatherings and steer clear of multiple ports, including the old port of Fira, just below the island’s capital.
Schools will also be shut in the nearby Aegean islands of Anafi, Ios and Amorgos, authorities said Sunday.
Between Friday and Sunday, more than 200 earthquakes were detected between Santorini and Amorgos, including a 4.6-magnitude quake, the most powerful so far, according to authorities.
Santorini is no stranger to earthquakes, sitting as it does on several fault lines. The risk of tremors doesn’t stop a reported 3.4 million people from visiting the island each year – far outnumbering Santorini’s 20,000 or so residents.
The holiday destination, famed for its crescent-shaped caldera, which was created by one of the largest known volcanic eruptions around 3,600 years ago, has been dubbed Greece’s “Instagram island” due to its photogenic golden light and sweeping scenery.
Sun, February 2, 2025
Schools will be closed Monday on the iconic Greek island of Santorini after a series of 200 earthquakes shook the popular tourist destination in recent days.
Authorities have also advised residents to avoid large indoor gatherings and steer clear of multiple ports, including the old port of Fira, just below the island’s capital.
Schools will also be shut in the nearby Aegean islands of Anafi, Ios and Amorgos, authorities said Sunday.
Between Friday and Sunday, more than 200 earthquakes were detected between Santorini and Amorgos, including a 4.6-magnitude quake, the most powerful so far, according to authorities.
Santorini is no stranger to earthquakes, sitting as it does on several fault lines. The risk of tremors doesn’t stop a reported 3.4 million people from visiting the island each year – far outnumbering Santorini’s 20,000 or so residents.
The holiday destination, famed for its crescent-shaped caldera, which was created by one of the largest known volcanic eruptions around 3,600 years ago, has been dubbed Greece’s “Instagram island” due to its photogenic golden light and sweeping scenery.
Tourists watch Santorini’s famed sunset from the Castle of Oia on July 25, 2024. - Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters
An emergency committee met Sunday to assess the risks posed by the latest tremors, while another meeting is scheduled for Monday.
Santorini is part of the Hellenic Volcanic Arc, one of the most active volcanic fields in Europe, which has seen more than 100 eruptions over the past 400,000 years.
Authorities said current seismic activity is due to tectonic movements that do not appear related to volcanic activity. Similarly, increased seismic activity in 2011 and 2012 did not result in any eruptions, they noted.
The most recent large quake in Santorini struck on July 9, 1956. The 7.5-magnitude earthquake was followed by a 25-meter-high (around 80 feet) tsunami.
At least 53 people were killed and more than 100 injured, while at least one-third of the houses collapsed.
Greek island Santorini on earthquake alert after more than 200 tremors
Sky News
Sun, February 2, 2025
More than 200 tremors near the island of Santorini have prompted Greek authorities to close schools and tell residents to avoid some ports and drain swimming pools.
Earthquake experts say the increase in seismic activity around the Aegean tourist island - known for its whitewashed buildings and black-sand beaches - is not related to volcanic activity.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis chaired an emergency meeting in Athens, as Santorini authorities prepared for a potential evacuation.
Tents have been set up in an outdoor stadium, police and the fire brigade have been put on alert and special disaster response units with sniffer dogs are on standby.
Island residents have been advised to avoid large open-air events and to stay away from four small ports including the harbour of Fira, which mainly serves cruise ships.
Home and hotel owners have also been told to drain their swimming pools over concerns that large volumes of water could destabilise buildings in the event of a strong quake.
Schools will be closed on Monday in Santorini as well as on the nearby islands of Amorgos, Ios and Anafi.
More than 200 tremors have hit since early on Friday but there have been no reports of damage or casualties.
The strongest earthquake recorded was magnitude 4.6 on Sunday afternoon, while a few tremors of over magnitude 4 and dozens of magnitude 3 have followed.
Experts said it was impossible to predict whether the seismic activity could lead to a stronger tremor, but added that the area could potentially produce a 6-magnitude quake.
Greece sits on multiple fault lines and is often rattled by earthquakes.
Santorini is visited by about three million people annually, including many British tourists.
One of the largest volcanic eruptions in history, around 1600 BC, formed the island in its current shape, while the last eruption in the area occurred in 1950.
Multiple tremors near Greek island of Santorini shut schools and put residents on edge
DEMETRIS NELLAS
AP
Sun, February 2, 2025
FILE - Ruins of a settlement, including a former Catholic monastery, lie on the rocky promontory of Skaros on the Greek island of Santorini, Wednesday, June 15, 2022.
Sun, February 2, 2025
FILE - Ruins of a settlement, including a former Catholic monastery, lie on the rocky promontory of Skaros on the Greek island of Santorini, Wednesday, June 15, 2022.
(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, File)
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A series of earthquakes near the Greek island of Santorini have led authorities to shut down schools, dispatch rescue teams with sniffer dogs and send instructions to residents including a request to drain their swimming pools.
Even though earthquake experts say the more than 200 tremors that have hit the area since early Friday are not related to the volcano in Santorini, which once produced one of the biggest eruptions in human history, locals are on edge.
The strongest earthquake recorded was magnitude 4.6 at 3:55 p.m. Sunday, at a depth of 14 kilometers (9 miles), the Athens Geodynamic institute said. A few tremors of over magnitude 4 and dozens of magnitude 3 have followed. There were no reports of damage or casualties.
Earthquake experts and officials from the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection and the fire service have been meeting daily and decided to close schools Monday on the island of Santorini as well as nearby Amorgos, Anafi and Ios.
After Sunday's meeting, they also advised residents and hotel owners in Santorini to drain their swimming pools over concerns that large volumes of water could destabilize buildings in case of a strong quake.
Another meeting was scheduled Sunday evening at the prime minister’s office with the chief of Greece’s armed forces and other officials.
The fire service sent a contingent of rescuers including a sniffer dog on Saturday, and dispatched more forces Sunday, as a precaution. The rescuers have pitched tents in open fields.
Island residents have been advised to avoid large open-air events and to move about the islands mindful of rockfalls. All four islands have steep cliffs and, in the case of Santorini, a large part on the main town is built on a cliffside.
Experts said it was impossible to predict whether the seismic activity could lead to a stronger tremor, but added that the area could potentially produce a 6 magnitude quake.
Mild earthquakes have also been recorded in Santorini’s volcano caldera, which is mostly undersea, since September. The strongest one with magnitude 3.8 occurred on Jan. 25. Since then, seismic activity inside the volcano has subsided, experts say.
The Santorini volcano eruption at about 1600 B.C. devastated the island, buried a town, and caused massive earthquakes and flooding that impacted the island of Crete and as far as Egypt. Experts estimate that up to 41.3 cubic kilometers (9.8 cubic miles) of rocks were ejected and 9-meter (29-foot) tsunamis hit Crete.
In the 1990s, the Santorini volcano was designated one of 16 volcanoes around the world that need to monitored because of past massive eruptions and proximity to dense population areas.
Santorini on alert as tremors rattle island
BBC
Sun, February 2, 2025
[Getty Images]
Schools on the Greek island of Santorini have been told to close on Monday in response to an increase in seismic activity in recent days.
Authorities have also advised against "large gatherings in enclosed spaces" across the island - a popular tourist destination known for its whitewashed buildings and blue domed churches.
Tremors of up to 4.6 in magnitude have been recorded over the last couple of days - with quakes of 4.3 and 3.9 magnitude reported nearby on Sunday.
Santorini is on what is known as the Hellenic Volcanic Arc - a chain of volcanic islands created by plate tectonics - but the last major eruption was in the 1950s.
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Greek authorities said that the recent minor earthquares were related to tectonic plate movements instead of volcanic activity, and that activity in the Santorini caldera - the volcanic basin the island sits around - remains in decline.
The tremors recorded by geologists are considered minor or light, but authorities have recommended a number of preventative measures in addition to the school closures, including asking ships to avoid the ports of Ammoudi and Fira.
Big cruise ships often anchor near the Old Port of Fira, with passengers being brought to shore on smaller boats.
Schools were also told to close on the nearby islands of Anafi, Ios and Amorgos.
People were advised to avoid abandoned buildings and travelling on routes where landslides are likely to occur.
While the recent tremors are thought to be unlikely to be a precursor to an eruption, the possibility of a stronger eruption cannot be ruled out.
Kostas Papazachos, a professor of geophysics at Thessaloniki Aristotle University, told public broadcaster ERT that the precautionary measures were "precisely to limit the impact of a stronger earthquake".
He added: "When you have a sequence next to you that is so vivid, so intense, you have to be a bit careful, precisely because there is always the risk of something like that happening."
Prof Papazachos said that were a minor earthquake occur while people were gathered in large crowds, it could create panic that may lead to people being injured.
The South Aegean Regional Fire Department has been placed on general alert and rescue teams as well as the regional commander have been dispatched to Santorini.
Though the island has a population of around 15,500, it welcomes millions of tourists each year. The UK Foreign Office updated its advice to British tourists on Sunday reiterating the recent measures.
One of the largest volcanic eruptions in history, around 1600BC, created the island in its current crescent-shaped form - though there is evidence of human settlement dating back to the Bronze Age.
The island has been struck by several eruptions since, the most devastating occurring in 1956, killing at least 53 people.
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A series of earthquakes near the Greek island of Santorini have led authorities to shut down schools, dispatch rescue teams with sniffer dogs and send instructions to residents including a request to drain their swimming pools.
Even though earthquake experts say the more than 200 tremors that have hit the area since early Friday are not related to the volcano in Santorini, which once produced one of the biggest eruptions in human history, locals are on edge.
The strongest earthquake recorded was magnitude 4.6 at 3:55 p.m. Sunday, at a depth of 14 kilometers (9 miles), the Athens Geodynamic institute said. A few tremors of over magnitude 4 and dozens of magnitude 3 have followed. There were no reports of damage or casualties.
Earthquake experts and officials from the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection and the fire service have been meeting daily and decided to close schools Monday on the island of Santorini as well as nearby Amorgos, Anafi and Ios.
After Sunday's meeting, they also advised residents and hotel owners in Santorini to drain their swimming pools over concerns that large volumes of water could destabilize buildings in case of a strong quake.
Another meeting was scheduled Sunday evening at the prime minister’s office with the chief of Greece’s armed forces and other officials.
The fire service sent a contingent of rescuers including a sniffer dog on Saturday, and dispatched more forces Sunday, as a precaution. The rescuers have pitched tents in open fields.
Island residents have been advised to avoid large open-air events and to move about the islands mindful of rockfalls. All four islands have steep cliffs and, in the case of Santorini, a large part on the main town is built on a cliffside.
Experts said it was impossible to predict whether the seismic activity could lead to a stronger tremor, but added that the area could potentially produce a 6 magnitude quake.
Mild earthquakes have also been recorded in Santorini’s volcano caldera, which is mostly undersea, since September. The strongest one with magnitude 3.8 occurred on Jan. 25. Since then, seismic activity inside the volcano has subsided, experts say.
The Santorini volcano eruption at about 1600 B.C. devastated the island, buried a town, and caused massive earthquakes and flooding that impacted the island of Crete and as far as Egypt. Experts estimate that up to 41.3 cubic kilometers (9.8 cubic miles) of rocks were ejected and 9-meter (29-foot) tsunamis hit Crete.
In the 1990s, the Santorini volcano was designated one of 16 volcanoes around the world that need to monitored because of past massive eruptions and proximity to dense population areas.
Santorini on alert as tremors rattle island
BBC
Sun, February 2, 2025
[Getty Images]
Schools on the Greek island of Santorini have been told to close on Monday in response to an increase in seismic activity in recent days.
Authorities have also advised against "large gatherings in enclosed spaces" across the island - a popular tourist destination known for its whitewashed buildings and blue domed churches.
Tremors of up to 4.6 in magnitude have been recorded over the last couple of days - with quakes of 4.3 and 3.9 magnitude reported nearby on Sunday.
Santorini is on what is known as the Hellenic Volcanic Arc - a chain of volcanic islands created by plate tectonics - but the last major eruption was in the 1950s.
ADVERTISEMENT
Greek authorities said that the recent minor earthquares were related to tectonic plate movements instead of volcanic activity, and that activity in the Santorini caldera - the volcanic basin the island sits around - remains in decline.
The tremors recorded by geologists are considered minor or light, but authorities have recommended a number of preventative measures in addition to the school closures, including asking ships to avoid the ports of Ammoudi and Fira.
Big cruise ships often anchor near the Old Port of Fira, with passengers being brought to shore on smaller boats.
Schools were also told to close on the nearby islands of Anafi, Ios and Amorgos.
People were advised to avoid abandoned buildings and travelling on routes where landslides are likely to occur.
While the recent tremors are thought to be unlikely to be a precursor to an eruption, the possibility of a stronger eruption cannot be ruled out.
Kostas Papazachos, a professor of geophysics at Thessaloniki Aristotle University, told public broadcaster ERT that the precautionary measures were "precisely to limit the impact of a stronger earthquake".
He added: "When you have a sequence next to you that is so vivid, so intense, you have to be a bit careful, precisely because there is always the risk of something like that happening."
Prof Papazachos said that were a minor earthquake occur while people were gathered in large crowds, it could create panic that may lead to people being injured.
The South Aegean Regional Fire Department has been placed on general alert and rescue teams as well as the regional commander have been dispatched to Santorini.
Though the island has a population of around 15,500, it welcomes millions of tourists each year. The UK Foreign Office updated its advice to British tourists on Sunday reiterating the recent measures.
One of the largest volcanic eruptions in history, around 1600BC, created the island in its current crescent-shaped form - though there is evidence of human settlement dating back to the Bronze Age.
The island has been struck by several eruptions since, the most devastating occurring in 1956, killing at least 53 people.
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