Georgia Nomikou reports, "We've moved all our mattresses to the living room." The Santorini native is concerned about the impact of continuous earthquakes on the picturesque Greek island, popular with tourists for its stunning views.
Recent weeks have been tumultuous on the idyllic island, with thousands of earthquakes shaking Santorini and the surrounding Greek islands. This unprecedented seismic swarm has forced about three-quarters of Santorini's 15,000 residents to evacuate, prompting a state of emergency declaration following a 5.2 magnitude quake on Wednesday, the most significant so far.
Despite smaller tremors continuing on Thursday, experts are puzzled by the unusual clusters of earthquakes not linked to a main shock. Dr. Athanassios Ganas, research director at the National Observatory of Athens, states, "It is really unprecedented; we have never seen something like this before in [modern times] in Greece." The ongoing seismic crisis is attributed to an "extremely intricate geological phenomenon," according to Greece's prime minister.
Located on the Hellenic Volcanic Arc, Santorini last experienced a major eruption in the 1950s, making the current seismic activity perplexing to scientists. Dr. Ganas notes that the burst of seismic events began with a volcano awakening last summer and escalated this past week.
Although hopes are high that Wednesday's quake was the peak, experts warn that the activity could persist for weeks. Despite uncertain predictions and the potential for larger earthquakes, some residents like Chantal Metakides remain unfazed, trusting in the resilience of their homes against such natural events.