 "Thousands fleeing Greece’s ‘Instagram island’ of Santorini after quake spree")
Masses in the Greek tourist island of Santorini are fleeing in panic amid fears that a large, massive earthquake may soon strike the territory. On Tuesday morning (February 4), hundreds of people gathered at a local port to board a ferry and reach Athens. It comes as the sea between the volcanic islands of Santorini and Amorgos in the Aegean Sea has been experiencing hundreds of quakes every few minutes since Friday (January 31).
Authorities in Santorini and the small nearby islands of Ios, Amorgos and Anafi have shut down schools until Friday; with Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself stepping in and urging calm. Mitsotakis said the Greek authorities were monitoring a “very intense” geological phenomenon while urging “our islanders above all to remain calm”.
Phenomenon not linked to volcanic activity
According to an expert committee which is monitoring the situation, the tremors are not linked to any volcanic activity in the region. Notably, Santorini houses a dormant volcano and the territory has endured over 200 quakes of magnitude three or more.
News agency AFP reported that about 2,000 people have already left the island on Sunday and Monday. Ferry operators have announced additional services along the routes following a request from the country’s Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.
As panic settles in, more people were expected to flee the region Tuesday on an additional flight. Some hotels even emptied their pools, fearing that the water may make buildings more susceptible to earthquakes. Authorities have advised people to refrain from holding indoor gathering and visiting coastal areas.
More about the Santorini islands
The picturesque island pulls more than three million visitors every year, with its whitewashed villages built along dramatic cliffs being the centre of attraction. The structures were built as a result of a massive volcanic eruption around 1620 BC.
The last volcanic eruption in Santorini was recorded in 1950.
The territory is also known as the ‘Instagram island’, owing to the fame that the social media platform has brought to its name.
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