The 30 square mile island of Santorini in the Aegean sea has been facing a swarm of earthquakes since the beginning of the year. The count has surpassed an astounding 1,200 earthquakes just in the two weeks of January 25th through February 7th.
According to UNESCO, these earthquakes ranged from a score of 1.0 to 5.2 and “Of these, 129 had magnitudes of greater than 4.0, with the strongest recorded at ML 5.2 magnitude. Most of the earthquakes had focal depths between 10 and 15 km.”
Although there have been mixed predictions regarding the reason for the sudden uptake in earthquake activity, the clear and present danger is understood. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared a state of emergency on Santorini quoting the need to “address urgent needs and manage the consequences.” BBC News claims more than 11,000 inhabitants have already left the island through various routes to escape the situation, and many islands in the region have noted a significant decrease in travel bookings.
Santorini has a long history of growing alongside geological forces as it is tied very closely with the underwater volcano Kolumbo. The island is also famous for its caldera, an underwater volcanic crater caused by a significant volcanic eruption in historical times. With the great surge of minor quakes shaking the island, locals and prospective visitors alike have worried whether the active volcano of Kolumbo has the potential to erupt. However, scientists studying the volcano strongly confirm that there is no possibility of an eruption although the volcano is still active.
Geologist Evi Nomikou explained to CNN that “researchers had uncovered magma movement in the deepest part of the earth in this area. Fluids shift the faults of Anydros that cause quakes.”
In the meantime, just as the island is meant to ready itself for its round of summer tourists, Greek officials are encouraging everyone to return to normal as the quakes are subsiding. Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni says “Infrastructure has been reinforced, civil protection plans have been updated and targeted action to support the tourism sector is being implemented… The messages from the global tourism market are encouraging, confirming Santorini remains a safe and well-organized destination, ready to welcome visitors from around the world.”
With natural disasters becoming more frequent and more powerful, researchers are working to find solutions to limit this resurgence. Just today, Myanmar faced a devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake with a death toll rising above 1600 and still counting. The enormous repercussions of a natural disaster, not just on loss of life, but also infrastructure, economy, and culture is powerful, leaving long-lasting scars that shape the future of affected communities for generations to come.