Greece has declared a state of emergency for the popular tourist island of Santorini following a surge in seismic activity.
Hundreds of undersea tremors have rattled the island for almost a week, culminating in a magnitude 5.2 earthquake late on Wednesday – the strongest since the tremors began on 31 January.
The emergency declaration, announced by the Ministry of Civil Protection on Thursday, will expedite access to state resources and support for the island.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis confirmed the mobilisation of emergency services, stating: “Fire departments, police, coast guard, armed forces, and emergency medical services have immediately reinforced Santorini and surrounding islands with additional personnel and specialised equipment.”
Despite causing minimal damage, the earthquake swarm has prompted an exodus of thousands of residents and seasonal workers, mostly evacuating to the Greek mainland by ferry.
Schools have been forced to shut across 13 islands, public events have been cancelled and travel to the island restricted.
Dramatic footage on social media appears to show plumes of dust rising following landslides on steep ridges, on top of which picturesque white-painted towns perch
A social media user who knows people on the island told The Independent that things are “calm” in Santorini, adding that local people are “following the advice of the local authorities”.
Fira, Santorini’s main town, is deserted and eerily quiet barring the small tour groups – many of which are from Asia – who have braved the conditions to take advantage of the deserted island.
Sitting at the boundary between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, Greece is one of Europe’s most earthquake-prone countries.
Santorini was famously victim to one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history in around 1600 BC – but has not experienced an eruption since 1950.
Experts say the seismic activity is unrelated to volcanic activity in the Aegean Sea.
