The Greek island of Santorini has experienced a surge in departures as a series of earthquakes prompt thousands to leave the popular tourist destination. Increased ferry and emergency flight services have been deployed to transport people to the mainland, with around 6,000 departing on Tuesday alone.
Home to approximately 15,000 residents and a major attraction for millions of tourists each year, Santorini is renowned for its dramatic cliffs and iconic white-washed buildings. However, the island has been rocked by more than 300 earthquakes in just 48 hours, with a total of 750 recorded since last week. Among the strongest tremors was a 5.0-magnitude quake that struck early Tuesday, following a 4.9-magnitude tremor hours earlier.
In response to the seismic activity, Greek civil protection authorities ordered the closure of schools over the weekend. Rescue teams were dispatched, with temporary shelters set up, though there have been no reports of injuries or structural damage.
Images from the island show large crowds queuing at ports, waiting to board ferries, while other photos depict empty clifftop buildings in the town of Oia. According to the Greek coastguard, more than 5,700 people have left Santorini by ferry since Sunday. Aegean Airlines has also increased its operations, flying nearly 1,300 people off the island on Monday and scheduling an additional eight flights on Tuesday to accommodate 1,400 more passengers.
Despite the high number of tremors, experts have stated that the current seismic activity is not linked to volcanic unrest. Santorini sits atop a volcano that last erupted in 1950, but a committee of specialists confirmed on Monday that the recent earthquakes are of tectonic origin. The island has not experienced seismic activity of this magnitude since records began in 1964.
While many visitors have opted to leave, some remain unfazed by the situation. Tourists from earthquake-prone regions, such as Japan and the United States, have described the tremors as minor compared to those in their home countries.
Greek authorities have reassured residents and visitors that a major earthquake of 6.0 magnitude or higher is unlikely. Officials have urged people to remain calm and avoid panic, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis acknowledging the intensity of the situation while calling for measured responses.
As monitoring continues, authorities remain vigilant, ensuring that evacuation measures are in place should conditions change.