Thousands of locals flee the picturesque island as experts say rolling tremors ‘not linked to volcanic activity’.
Published On 4 Feb 2025
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has appealed for calm as hundreds of rolling earthquakes have left the residents of Santorini island, and its neighbours in the Aegean Sea, rattled.
Records from the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) showed the quakes were continuing to occur a few minutes apart as of 7am on Tuesday (05: 00 GMT), with the largest quake recorded at magnitude 5.1 on Monday afternoon.
Speaking from Brussels, Mitsotakis said authorities have been monitoring a “very intense” geological phenomenon over recent days, before urging “our islanders above all to remain calm”.
Thousands of locals and holidaymakers have crowded onto ferries and flights to leave Santorini and the neighbouring islands of Anafi, Ios and Amorgos, amid fears the tremors, which have so far caused minimal damage and no injuries, could indicate a larger earthquake is coming.
The picturesque crescent-shaped Santorini island is home to a dormant volcano, but an expert committee set up to monitor the situation said an estimated 200 quakes of magnitude 3 or more had been registered, but stressed the phenomenon was “not linked to volcanic activity”.
Prominent Greek seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos cautioned that the current earthquake sequence – displayed on live seismic maps as a growing cluster of dots between the islands of Santorini, Ios, Amorgos, and Anafi – could indicate a larger impending event.
“All scenarios remain open,” Papadopoulos wrote in an online post.
“The number of tremors has increased, magnitudes have risen, and epicentres have shifted northeast. While these are tectonic quakes, not volcanic, the risk level has escalated,” he said.
An intense earthquake swarm is rattling the island of Santorini, Greece, leading to evacuations. Earlier today, a M5.1 earthquake joined this swarm — the strongest so far. pic.twitter.com/YYJfWv7aSQ
— Nahel Belgherze (@WxNB_) February 3, 2025
Santorini draws more than three million visitors annually to its whitewashed villages