Hundreds of Santorini residents boarded a ferry to Athens early on Tuesday, February 4, after the island was shaken by earthquakes for the fourth consecutive day.
On Monday, February 3, earthquakes with magnitudes above 4 were recorded every few minutes on Santorini. Authorities advised people to avoid staying indoors or in small ports. As a precaution, emergency response teams were deployed to the area.
"No one expected this to happen. What is happening on the island right now is unbelievable," said 35-year-old Julian Sinanaj, who has been living on Santorini for years.
Seismic activity has been recorded between the volcanic islands of Santorini and Amorgos in the Aegean Sea since January 31. Authorities have ordered the closure of schools on Santorini and the nearby islands of Ios, Amorgos, and Anafi until February 7.
Experts say that due to the island's steep cliffs and geographic structure, seismic activity is expected to continue for weeks.
Residents Forced to Leave
Some residents have already started leaving Santorini. Thirty-five-year-old Tzanis Lignos described the situation as critical and said he was heading to Athens with his family:
"For three days now, the earthquakes have been constant, shaking the island every five minutes. The entire population is in shock. We’ve been trying to find tickets for three days—there were no ferry or plane tickets available. Last night, when we tried to book one, the last seat was already taken. Airlines have added extra flights, but ticket prices have skyrocketed to 300-350 euros per person. Fortunately, we managed to get ferry tickets for myself, my wife, and our children," Lignos said.
Another resident, 72-year-old Zoi Lignou, decided to temporarily relocate to the nearby island of Naxos for a few days:
"The earthquakes are non-stop, and the situation is intense. We have been patient for three days, but today was the worst, so we decided to leave for as long as necessary to calm down," she said.
Some Choose to Stay
Despite the ongoing tremors, some residents are choosing to stay on the island for now. Eirini Rousou, a 45-year-old pharmacist from Santorini, admitted that the situation is unsettling but emphasized the need to remain calm:
"It’s a bit worrying, and of course, we are scared. But we don’t want to panic. Unfortunately, the tremors are not stopping and won’t stop anytime soon."
On Monday, Aegean Airlines added three extra flights to and from Santorini at the request of Greece’s Civil Protection Ministry. Crowds of people were seen waiting at the island’s port, and long lines formed at ticket agencies.
Local officials noted that permanent residents are generally accustomed to such earthquakes. However, many workers and temporary residents have chosen to leave for now.
Greece sits on multiple fault lines and frequently experiences earthquakes. One of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in history took place in Santorini around 1600 BC, shaping the island’s current landscape. The last volcanic eruption in the area occurred in 1950.
Experts have stated that the mild volcanic activity recently observed near Santorini is not related to the earthquakes.
Santorini shaken by ongoing tremors for six days, prompting thousands of tourists to evacuate. Authorities implement safety measures as seismic activity continues, raising fears of a major earthquake.
A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia’s North Maluku early Tuesday, with no tsunami warning issued, Xinhua reports.
Greek authorities are urging school closures and safety measures on Santorini following a series of earthquakes over the weekend. With tremors continuing in the area, officials have advised people to avoid certain ports and crowded indoor spaces.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake has struck Taiwan, with its epicenter located northeast of Tainan. No casualties or damage have been reported so far.
At least four people sustained injuries and were hospitalised following overnight seismic activity near Tainan, southern Taiwan.
Jeff Bezos’ $10-billion Earth Fund has withdrawn its backing from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a key verifier of corporate climate goals, according to the Financial Times.
OpenAI has unveiled Deep Research, a new feature for ChatGPT that can scan, analyze, and synthesize information from hundreds of online sources to generate detailed reports in minutes.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree today instructing a delivery of power producing equipment to Ukraine, “in response to the current situation” in the country.
A U.S. military plane carrying illegal Indian immigrants landed in India's northern city of Amritsar on Wednesday, deporting an unspecified number of people as part of President Donald Trump's immigration agenda.
The Kremlin has declined to comment on a preliminary report on the investigation of the Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 tragic crash and suggested waiting for final report.
Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport has released the preliminary report on the investigation on Azerbaijan Airlines's flight J2-8243's tragic crash. Read excerpts from the report and watch AnewZ's complete coverage.
An American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the Potomac River after a midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night, officials said.
The U.S. has officially entered a new trade war. President Donald Trump has slapped 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10% on China, citing immigration and drug trafficking concerns. The move has immediate consequences for businesses and consumers—so what happens next?
A U.S. military plane carrying illegal Indian immigrants landed in India's northern city of Amritsar on Wednesday, deporting an unspecified number of people as part of President Donald Trump's immigration agenda.
Santorini shaken by ongoing tremors for six days, prompting thousands of tourists to evacuate. Authorities implement safety measures as seismic activity continues, raising fears of a major earthquake.
Belgian police are searching for suspects after a shooting near Clemenceau metro station in Brussels early Wednesday. Multiple stations have been closed, but no injuries were reported. Investigators are probing possible drug-related links.
French President Emmanuel Macron denied any “agreement” or “collusion” with the Swiss company Nestlé over the bottled water scandal.
Jeff Bezos’ $10-billion Earth Fund has withdrawn its backing from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), a key verifier of corporate climate goals, according to the Financial Times.
OpenAI has unveiled Deep Research, a new feature for ChatGPT that can scan, analyze, and synthesize information from hundreds of online sources to generate detailed reports in minutes.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree today instructing a delivery of power producing equipment to Ukraine, “in response to the current situation” in the country.
A U.S. military plane carrying illegal Indian immigrants landed in India's northern city of Amritsar on Wednesday, deporting an unspecified number of people as part of President Donald Trump's immigration agenda.
The Kremlin has declined to comment on a preliminary report on the investigation of the Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 tragic crash and suggested waiting for final report.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment