Over 200 earthquakes have rattled the picturesque Greek destination of Santorini in just three days. The tremors have caused widespread panic, prompting tourists to flee the island. Santorini has been rocked by a series of powerful earthquakes over the past four days, sparking concerns about potential volcanic activity. With more than 200 tremors recorded, emergency teams are on high alert, preparing for possible evacuations.
What Is Happening In Santorini?
Between Saturday and Monday afternoon, around 200 tremors, ranging from magnitudes of 3 to 4.9, were recorded between Santorini and the nearby island of Amorgos. The tremors triggered an immediate response, with rescuers deploying emergency supplies such as tents, drones, and a sniffer dog. Schools on nearby islands have been closed. Although seismic activity began on January 24, it has intensified in recent days, with tremors becoming more frequent and stronger.
From Brussels, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reassured the public, urging calm after a series of seismic tremors struck the popular tourist island of Santorini, causing many to flee. In his statement, he acknowledged the intense seismic activity in recent days and emphasized that authorities were closely monitoring the situation. He urged island residents to stay calm as they faced this challenging time. Videos and images from Santorini are going viral.
❗️🇬🇷 – BREAKING – Emergency Teams Mobilize on Santorini as Earthquake Swarm Persists Into Fourth Day
Emergency crews have been dispatched to Santorini, Greece, where they are actively preparing evacuation plans in response to an ongoing earthquake swarm that has been shaking the… pic.twitter.com/GAmRoJYgyd
---Advertisement---— 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) February 3, 2025
Santorini – Popular Destination
Santorini is a stunning destination, known for its dramatic cliffs, iconic whitewashed houses, and picturesque blue-domed churches. Its breathtaking beauty draws millions of visitors each year. In 2024, around 2.88 million travelers arrived in Santorini by air, marking a 3.9% increase from the previous year. This number doesn’t even include those arriving by sea, such as cruise passengers. Overall, over 3.4 million tourists visited the island that year.
However, the most dangerous aspect of the island is that many of its main villages sit precariously on the edge of a volcanic caldera. Experts are now concerned about the potential risks posed by the ongoing seismic activity. Scientists are carefully monitoring whether these tremors are simply foreshocks, signaling a larger earthquake might be on the horizon. Earthquakes are common in Greece, with a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hitting Crete in 2021.
