Santorini earthquake: A state of emergency has been declared in Santorini. The famous Greek tourist destination has been almost evacuated of tourists and residents after repeated tremors were felt for the past several days. A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck Santorini on Wednesday evening. It was the first earthquake to exceed 5.0 magnitude since the earthquake tremors last week.
The Greek Civil Protection Ministry on Thursday placed the island in a state of emergency until March 3 due to seismic activity.
About 11,000 people have fled the island. The island attracts more than 3.4 million tourists annually and is home to about 20,000 permanent residents.
Greek authorities have arranged additional flights to help people escape to the safety of the mainland, but evacuation efforts were complicated on Wednesday as boats were not allowed to leave ports due to strong winds. Normal service had resumed by Thursday.
Located near the boundary of the giant African and Eurasian tectonic plates, Santorini experiences frequent seismic activity, but rarely of such intensity over such a long period of time. Along with Santorini, the nearby islands of Amorgos and Ios have also been shaken. There have been no reports of major damage, but Greek authorities are taking precautions ahead of a possible massive earthquake.
Santorini earthquake
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