Greece’s Santorini Island hit by over 7,000 earthquakes in a week

On February 3, 2025, authorities on the Greek island of Santorini ordered the closure of schools and airports. Approximately 11,000 people had already left Santorini by sea on Sunday and Monday, with ferry operators and airlines assisting in the evacuation efforts.

The cause? Earthquakes. Santorini recorded 7,700 earthquakes in just the past week, with the most powerful registering a magnitude of 5.2 on the seismograph. 

This group of islands, located in the centre of the Aegean Sea and renowned for their iconic white and blue architecture basking in the bright sunshine, is a major international tourist destination. Santorini is one of the islands in the Cyclades group, formed as a result of the immense Minoan eruption around 1600 BC. Although earthquakes are not uncommon in this area, the frequency and intensity of these recent quakes have raised concerns about the potential for larger tremors that could trigger a tsunami.

The Great Amorgos Earthquake of 1956

The ongoing series of earthquakes, including one with a magnitude of 5.2, has brought to mind the devastating memories of the 1956 earthquake, which resulted in a tsunami. The disaster claimed 54 lives and reduced entire villages to rubble.

At present, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called for calm, while authorities have ramped up relief measures, including setting up tents in basketball courts and sending push notifications on mobile phones urging people to stay away from areas prone to rockslides.

For now, scientists have ruled out a repeat of the 1956 earthquake and seismologists stress that the current quakes are a result of tectonic shift, rather than volcanic activity. Experts have noted that the quakes are occurring in a relatively small area, which does not align with the typical pattern of a mainshock-aftershock sequence, according to Dr Athanassios Ganas, Research Director at the National Observatory of Athens.

Unfortunately, seismologists cannot predict when the quakes will cease. Authorities have warned that the tremors could continue for weeks.