Authorities declared a state of emergency on Greece’s Amorgos island Wednesday, February 12, as a series of earthquakes continue to rattle the south-eastern Aegean Sea region.
This follows a similar emergency declaration for nearby Santorini on February 7, after thousands of unusual tremors were recorded in an undersea area near the islands of Santorini, Ios, and Anafi – all popular tourist destinations.
Despite initial hopes that the seismic activity might be easing, a new series of magnitude 5 earthquakes has raised concerns.
Seismologists have noted that the epicentre of the earthquakes is shifting northward toward Amorgos. The state of emergency will allow for the swift deployment of resources and emergency services.
Authorities have already mobilised fire departments, police, coast guard, and armed forces, particularly on Santorini, where thousands of residents and seasonal workers have evacuated.
Since January 26, around 12,000 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 1 have been recorded, according to the University of Athens’ crisis management committee.
While Greece is in a seismically active region, such a prolonged and intense series of earthquakes is highly unusual.
Source: AP.
