It probably won’t shock you to learn that Santorini is Greece’s most popular island, famous for the classic white-washed buildings, cobalt blue domes and bunches of bright pink bougainvillea which populate its dramatic, volcanic cliffside.
It welcomes around 3 million visitors per year, but over the last few days hundreds of tremors have been registered by seismologists, the strongest of which was felt at 9.09pm local time on February 5 at a magnitude of 5.2.
While measures being taken on the island are precautionary, the escalating magnitude of these tremors is understandably worrying news if you have a trip booked to Santorini, so here is everything you need to know.
Where are the earthquake tremors in Greece?
Hundreds of undersea tremors have been registered northeast of the Greek island of Santorini since last weekend (Feb 2), many with a magnitude of at least 4, but the strongest so far was a 5.2 quake which was registered at 9.09pm last night, according to the BBC.
This quake was followed by a 4.7 magnitude tremor south-west of Amorgos at 7.50am local time this morning (February 6), and 57 tremors were recorded between midnight and 6.30am.
The island sits on the Hellenic Volcanic Arc – a chain of islands created by the area’s tectonic plates – and in the first couple of days of this seismic activity, locals said that tremors were felt as frequently as every 10 to 20 seconds.
‘We have a fairly high number of earthquakes with magnitudes above 4,’ Vasilis Karastathis, director of the Geodynamic Institute, told ERTNews, ‘Still, we are not in a position to say that we see any evidence that would lead to the sequence slowly being completed. We are still in the middle of the road. We have not seen any thinning, any sign that it is heading towards retreat.’
Is it safe to travel to Santorini?
If you’re headed to Santorini, there are some local precautions currently in place that you should bear in mind.
Residents and visitors have been warned to avoid large indoor gatherings where rock slides occur, and lots of hotels have been instructed to drain their pools to reduce potential quake damage.
There are plans in place to build shelters and provide food to remaining residents should the tremors worsen, and the South Aegean Regional Fire Department has been placed on general alert. Emergency services have also warned people to leave Ammoudi, Armeni and the Old Port of Fira in case of landslides, according to the BBC.
Santorini has been reinforced with firefighters and medical staff from Naxos, and there are plans in place to call in doctors and nurses from other islands and even Athens if needed.
Authorities have opted to close schools until at least Friday February 7 and Aegean Airlines added three extra emergency flights following a request from the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, as demand to leave the island has soared. A backup telecommunications station is being set up at Santorini City Hall in case of a major earthquake event.
As of this morning (February 6) between 4,000 passengers have left the island via plane, and 7,000 have done so by ferry since Sunday (February 2). That figure is expected to rise to 14,000 by the end of this week (Feb 9).
‘These measures are precautionary, and authorities will remain vigilant,’ Civil Protection Minister Vasilis Kikilias said, according to the Independent, ‘We urge citizens to strictly adhere to safety recommendations to minimize risk.’
What’s the UK Foreign Office saying?
The FCDO’s safety and security page reads: ‘The Greek Ministry of Civil Protection has issued advice for Santorini (Thira), Anafi, Ios and Amorgos, following increased seismic activity in the area. Schools will remain closed on Monday 3 February 2025. People are advised not to attend large indoors gatherings and to avoid old or abandoned buildings. The Greek Ministry advises people to avoid the ports of Amoudi, Armeni, Korfos and Old Port (Paleos Limenas) in the area of Fira and to choose safe routes when travelling, particularly in areas where the landslide risk is high. In case of a strong tremor, people should immediately depart coastal areas.’
It also states that you should follow local travel advice and contact the Greek Ministry of Civil Protection for more info on what to do during an earthquake.
When was the last earthquake in Santorini?
Minor earthquakes are common in Santorini, but the last major one took place back in 1956 when 53 people died, 100 were injured, 529 houses were destroyed and more than 3,000 were damaged – it registered at 7.7 on the Richter scale.
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