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Greece earthquake alerts: Schools closed, flights added to help people leave Santorini island | Updates
Tremors between Santorini and Amorgos since Friday led to school closures in Santorini, Ios, Amorgos, and Anafi, as authorities monitor the seismic activity.
Schools in Santorini were closed and additional flights were arranged on Monday to assist people in leaving the Greek island as earthquake tremors continued to shake the popular tourist spot for the fourth day in a row, news agency Reuters reported.
Since Friday, tremors have been recorded between the volcanic islands of Santorini and Amorgos in the Aegean Sea, leading authorities to shut down schools in Santorini and the nearby islands of Ios, Amorgos, and Anafi.
On Monday, quakes rattled Santorini every few minutes, some measuring above 4 in magnitude. As a precaution, people were advised to stay away from indoor spaces and small ports, and disaster response units were deployed.
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Speaking from Brussels, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for calm after a series of seismic tremors hit the tourist island of Santorini, leading to mass departures, AFP reported. He acknowledged that authorities were monitoring a “very intense” geological phenomenon over recent days and urged islanders to “remain calm.”
So far, the earthquakes in Santorini and Amorgos have not exceeded a magnitude of 5, and no significant damage has been reported. As a precaution, authorities have also set up tents to house people if needed.
Earthquakes are common in Greece, with a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hitting Crete in 2021.
Updates on ‘high earthquake alert’ in Greece
- Precautionary measures were implemented on several neighbouring Aegean Sea islands, all of which are popular summer destinations after more than 200 undersea earthquakes were recorded in the area over the past three days.
- Aegean Airlines announced it would operate three additional flights to and from Santorini on Monday and Tuesday to facilitate travel for residents and visitors, in response to a request from Greece's Civil Protection Ministry.
- The earthquake-prone neighbouring island of Amorgos is under surveillance as a precaution, with people advised to avoid small ports. Special search and rescue teams were deployed to Santorini.
- Government officials held meetings with scientists to evaluate the situation, while schools on nearby islands such as Amorgos, Anafi, and Ios were closed.
- In Santorini’s main town of Fira, local authorities set up designated gathering points for residents as part of evacuation preparations, though Mayor Nikos Zorzos emphasised these were just precautionary measures.
- Experts predict that the seismic activity in the area will continue for several weeks. Efthymios Lekkas, a professor of tectonic geology and disaster management, stated the activity could last for some days.
- Local officials said that permanent residents were not overly concerned as they are accustomed to earthquakes, but some visitors on the island for work began leaving due to the ongoing tremors.
- Greece, located on multiple fault lines, frequently experiences earthquakes. Santorini’s current shape was formed by one of history’s largest volcanic eruptions around 1600 BC, with the last eruption occurring in 1950.
(With inputs from agencies)
