Greek authorities have declared a state of emergency on Santorini after a surge in seismic activity rattled the island. Over 7,700 tremors have been recorded in less than a week, prompting fears among geologists and disaster experts about potential long-term impacts.
The Santorini town hall announced emergency measures just hours after a 5.2-magnitude earthquake, the strongest recorded since the seismic activity began. These measures, which will remain in effect until March 3, grant the military a larger role in crisis management.
“We requested this to handle the situation effectively,” said Santorini’s mayor, Nikos Zorzos.
As the tremors continue, thousands of residents and visitors have fled the island. Officials estimate that more than 12,000 people have departed by boat and plane since the weekend, leaving few tourists behind.
By Thursday, Santorini’s main hilltop settlement—a major attraction that welcomed 3.5 million tourists last year—had transformed into a ghost town, with shuttered shops and empty streets. Authorities have also restricted access in some areas due to fears of rockslides.
“The atmosphere completely changed after last night’s earthquake,” said Catherine Wilson, a visitor from New York who left Santorini for Athens on Thursday. “For the first time, even locals running my hotel looked uneasy. There’s definitely concern about the long-term effect on tourism.”
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is scheduled to visit Santorini on Friday in what officials describe as a gesture of solidarity. Meanwhile, emergency response efforts continue, with trucks delivering generators and teams of social workers and psychologists arriving on the island.
Seismologists remain divided on whether the 5.2-magnitude quake is a warning of a larger earthquake and possible tsunami or a sign that the seismic activity is subsiding.
“We are still in the middle of this sequence,” said Vassilis K. Karastathis, a seismologist at the National Observatory of Athens. “So far, we have no clear signs that the tremors are easing or that the situation is stabilizing.”
As experts monitor the situation, Santorini remains on high alert, with residents and authorities bracing for what could come next.