Greek PM assures no immediate danger as Santorini faces unprecedented seismic activity

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reassured the public on Friday, February 7, that there is no “immediate danger” from the ongoing wave of earthquakes on the popular tourist island of Santorini, which has prompted the evacuation of thousands.

“The state is fully deployed not because we believe… that something disastrous is going to happen, but because we must be ready for any eventuality,” Mitsotakis said during a meeting with local officials.

Santorini, part of a volcanic caldera, and neighboring islands Amorgos, Ios, and Anafi have experienced over 7,700 tremors since January 26, with seismic activity continuing for two weeks. Experts note that the region has not seen such activity since records began in 1964.

Seismologist Costas Papazachos predicted the tremors will persist for another two to three weeks, though the intensity has lessened.

Σήμερα στη Σαντορίνη ενημερώθηκα για τα μέτρα πολιτικής προστασίας που έχουν τεθεί σε εφαρμογή. Θέλω να διαβεβαιώσω τους κατοίκους της Σαντορίνης, αλλά και όλων των γειτονικών νησιών που δοκιμάζονται αυτήν την περίοδο, ότι ο κρατικός μηχανισμός είναι στο πλευρό τους. pic.twitter.com/xfDAxdfq5Q

— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) February 7, 2025

Over 11,000 residents and seasonal workers have left Santorini by air and sea, while school closures on several islands in the Cyclades group, including Santorini, have prompted families to evacuate.

Despite the ongoing tremors, Mitsotakis stressed that volcanic activity in the area was “not unusual.”

“We hope this sequence will dissipate without producing a major earthquake,” he added.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation, with heightened emergency measures, including enhanced evacuation plans and funding for Santorini’s infrastructure.

Precautionary closures of schools on four nearby islands will last until February 14.

The region’s seismic activity has sparked concerns, but experts have stated there is no connection to Santorini’s volcano, known for a violent eruption around 1600 B.C.

Source: Ekathimerini.