A series of recent earthquakes near Crete and Santorini have prompted experts to urge tourists to stay informed but not alarmed as they visit Greece’s seismically active islands.
A magnitude 6.1 undersea quake struck off Crete on Thursday, causing light structural damage and triggering an automatic tsunami warning.
It followed an earlier tremor in the same area and intense seismic activity around Santorini in February, which forced emergency measures and led many tourists to flee.
Despite the frequency of quakes, experts told Euronews there’s no evidence of heightened long-term risk.
“Every time you go to Greece, you are going to a seismically active region,” Rémy Bossu, Secretary-General of the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, said. “The hazards are not significantly higher than they were yesterday, or in February.”
Tourists are advised to familiarise themselves with basic earthquake safety — such as taking cover indoors and avoiding beaches or harbours after tremors, as even small tsunamis can form.
Seismologists, including Dr Nikolaos Melis of the National Observatory of Athens, agree there is no indication of a major earthquake on the horizon.
“Catastrophic magnitudes are very rare,” he said, noting that Greece has strict building codes and is well-prepared.
Source: Euronews
