Greek authorities have declared a state of emergency on Santorini following a surge in seismic activity, with an estimated 7,700 tremors recorded in less than a week. The island’s town hall implemented the measures after a 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck on Wednesday, the strongest tremor since the series of quakes began.
The emergency declaration, which will remain in effect until 3 March, allows for increased military involvement in crisis management. “It’s what we need to deal with this situation, and we requested that it be enforced,” said Santorini’s mayor, Nikos Zorzos.
With experts warning the geological instability could persist for weeks, thousands of residents and visitors have left the island. More than 12,000 people have departed since the weekend, turning Santorini’s usually bustling hilltop settlement into a near-deserted landscape. Shops remain shuttered, and police have cordoned off streets due to the risk of further rockslides.
“The vibe has definitely changed since the earthquake last night,” said Catherine Wilson, a New Yorker who left for Athens on Thursday. “For the first time, you could see locals, like the people running my hotel, being unnerved by it all.”
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to visit the island on Friday in a show of solidarity, while emergency teams, including social workers and psychologists, are being dispatched to assist those affected. Ferries carrying emergency supplies, including generators, have also arrived.
Seismologists remain divided on whether the 5.2-magnitude tremor signals an impending larger quake or a gradual decrease in seismic activity. “We are not yet in a position to say that we are seeing any evidence that would lead to the sequence slowly coming to a conclusion,” said Vassilis K. Karastathis, director of research at the National Observatory of Athens. “We are still in the middle of the road, we haven’t seen any easing, any sign that it’s heading towards a regression.”
As uncertainty looms, the island—famous for its tourism industry—now faces growing concerns over the long-term impact of the crisis.
