On the island of Santorini, the popular tourist direction of Greece, a state of emergency was announced due to increased seismic activity. From the end of January this year, residents and tourists have been faced with a series of earthquakes that shake the island several times a day, and sometimes a few minutes.
The first underground shocks were very weak and little noticeable, but with the onset of February, the activity increased: earthquakes became more powerful and frequent. Scientists report that in the last two weeks, several thousand shocks have been recorded on the island, most of which had more than 4.0 magnitude. Such earthquakes, mostly with a depth of less than 10 km, are strong enough to feel people living in Santorin and the neighboring islands. The strongest magnitude earthquake of 5.1 occurred on February 6 and was palpable even in Athens, in Crete and in Turkey parts, located at a distance of more than 240 km from the epicenter. This impetus caused the stones on the island's coastal rocks and damaged some vulnerable buildings.
The situation on the island is of serious concern among locals and tourists. Since the beginning of February, about 11,000 people have left the island, as many fears that earthquake activity can be a harbinger of volcanic eruption. This is a natural phenomenon due to seismic activity in the area where the African tectonic plate occurs with the Eurasian plate, which leads to a large number of faults and volcanoes. The Santorini Island, formed by Volcanic Caldera, is one of the most seismically active regions in the world. Volcanic activity on the island was noticeable in the mid -twentieth century, when the last eruption took place. Scientists say that current earthquakes can be connected to the movement of magma under the surface, although they do not occur directly under the island itself. At the same time, studies have shown that these shocks are not a direct harbinger of a new eruption, but may be a sign of activating local faults.
It is impossible to exclude the possibility of an even more powerful earthquake in the future, although the likelihood of this is estimated at only 5%. Researchers warn that such "earthquakes" that can last from a few days to several weeks, sometimes slow down, but can increase again, creating additional difficulties for locals and tourists.
