While Greece declares ‘Emergency’ via Santorini earthquake, what follows? | Earthquake news
The Greek island of Santorini is located in an outstand after he experienced his strongest earthquake after a continuous trembling day.
The 5.2 -size opening was hit by Santorini on Wednesday night, the first to surpass 5.0 since Tremor began last week. On Thursday, two larger shivers jumped in the island, each greater than 4.0.
Santorini’s last major earthquake, Magnitude 7.5 shivering in 1956, killed at least 53 people.
Here’s what we know so far:
What happens in Santorini?
Island, one of the Greek Cycleades Islands to the Aegean Sea, was experiencing almost constant trembling From January 27, 2025, with thousands of earthquakes recorded so far.
The most powerful earthquake recorded since then – which is happening on Wednesday night – he recorded a magnitude of 5.2 on the Richter scale.
Magnitude measures the size of an earthquake with the adherences presented with decimal points. The 6.0 or more earthquake is classified as strong, while size 5.2 is considered moderate.
Santorini is located next to the Hellenic volcanic bow, which extends from Peloponnese in southern Greece through Cyclades Islands. There are also two volcanoes in the region: Nea Kameni, a small islet inside Santorini Calder, and Columbus, an underwater volcano located approximately eight kilometers (five miles) northeast of the island.
The Santorini-Amorgos earthquake only continues. He has now produced more than 1000 individual events since he started on January 27th. pic.twitter.com/kqwxej0VBB
– Nahel Belgherze (@wxnb_) 5th February 2025
Where are the epicenter of the earthquake affecting Santorini?
The epicenter of the earthquake is concentrated in the growing cluster between the islands of Santorini, Anafi, Amorgos and IOS. Seismic activity remains concentrated between Santorini and the nearby island of Amorgos.
The epicenter is located below the seabed, which is good news; According to scientists, land -based earthquakes generally cause greater destruction. Greece lies in a very seismically active part of the world, and earthquakes are not uncommon.
What are the main concerns?
Authorities are being prepared in the event of an even greater earthquake, as trembling does not yet show any sign of mitigation. Authorities warned the risks of landslide to parts of the island on Wednesday.
“We are not yet able to say that we see any evidence that would lead to the sequence slowly to come to a conclusion,” he told reporters who were Seismis K Karastathis, a seismologist and director of research in the national observatory of Athens.
“We are still in the middle of the road, we have not seen mitigation, any sign to go towards regression.”
Quakes did not cause injuries or great damage. According to reports, more than 11,000 people depart from Santorini as a result of trembling. According to the 2021 census, Santorini, which is popular with tourists, has a permanent population of 15,000.
Can earthquakes cause a volcanic eruption?
Although Santorini is in the immediate vicinity of two volcanoes, experts believe that eruption is unlikely. Scientists emphasize that current earthquakes are not associated with volcanic activity and do not represent a specific volcanic danger.
Last week, the Greek Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection reported that the sensors discovered a “mild seismic-volcanic activity” within Santorini’s Kaldere. However, a similar event in 2011 lasted 14 months without provokeing any volcanic problems.
“At this point, I don’t think there is a danger of a volcano submarine Columbus and a volcanic complex … However, I should say that we cannot exclude the arrival of another pulse of Magma and [if so] This episode will be repeated, “AL Jazeera Athanassios Ganas, director of a study of national observatory Athens, told Al Jazeera Athena.
The island, however, has a long history of volcanic activities. About 1,600. BC, one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in human history, shaped Santorini into his current geological form.
Between 2011 and 2012, the island passed a significant seismic activity due to the movement of the magma below the surface.
Will shivering continue for a long time or worse?
“We cannot exclude the possibility of an earthquake of about 6.0 on one of the adjacent mistakes,” Ganas told Al Jazeera.
“Because all of these seismically move to adjacent mistakes that are long enough, about 15 kilometers, and that fact means that they have the potential for the earthquake of magnitude 6.0,” he added.
However, Ganas emphasized that this is not the most likely scenario. “This is the second priority. The first scenario is that we are in the middle of a seismic swarm,” he said.
The seismic swarm is a number of many small to moderate earthquakes that occur in a localized area in a short period, ranging from hours to months, without a single dominant Mainshock.
How do Greek authorities react?
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to visit Santorini on Friday.
Local authorities closed schools until Friday in Santorini and Amorgos, sent rescuers and advised residents to avoid ports and closed gatherings.
The government announced that the state of extraordinary situation would remain in force until March 3 to allow the population to respond to the needs of the seismic activity.
