Greece, state of emergency until March 1. The Cyclades still shake: 1000 earthquakes in ten days

The Cyclades islands in Greece are experiencing strong seismic activity which has led to the State of emergency declared in Santorini. During the night there were two more earthquakes, of magnitude 4.5 and 4.6, which have fueled the concerns of the authorities and the population.

The first earthquake, recorded at 3:30 in the morning, had its epicentre in the stretch of sea between Astypalea and Kera, while the second shock occurred shortly afterwards in the waters east of Santorini. The tremors were among the strongest recorded in the last ten days.

State of emergency until March 1st 

Greek authorities have declared a state of emergency to address immediate needs and manage the consequences of this intense seismic activity.The state of emergency will remain in force until March 1st and will also affect nearby islands, such as Amorgos, Anafi and Ios.

High risk of landslides: residents urged to exercise caution

The continuous tremors have increased the risk of landslides, leading local authorities to urge the population to stay away from areas at risk of falling rocks. Some schools have been temporarily closed, while army, firefighters and police units have been deployed to monitor the situation and intervene if necessary.

The experts, including seismology professor Costas Papazachos, do not rule out the possibility of a stronger earthquake in the region. "A section of the fault has ruptured, but other parts remain intact. We cannot rule out a major seismic event“said Papazachos.

Over 1.000 earthquakes in ten days

According to data from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), From January 27 to February 5, more than 1.000 earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 2 were recorded in the Cyclades regionOf these, 90 had a magnitude between 4.0 and 4.9, and three exceeded magnitude 5.0.

Santorini: Solid Infrastructure, but Uncertain Situation

Despite the situation, the authorities are reassuring the population about the solidity of Santorini's infrastructure, stressing that many buildings were built to withstand tremors of magnitude significant. However, the evolution of the seismic swarm remains uncertain.

The INGV explained that the increase in magnitude and the high number of seismic events suggest a possible involvement of fluids in the Earth's crust, rather than a classic sequence of a main shock followed by minor shocks. In the past, similar seismic swarms have ended without major events, but some have preceded more intense earthquakes.

At the moment, the alert remains high and the population is invited to be extremely cautiousThe state of emergency will continue until March for ensure the safety of residents and tourists.