More than 200 earthquakes have rattled the Greek island of Santorini since Friday, with tremors occurring every few minutes and reaching a magnitude of up to 4.9. Experts say the quakes are not linked to Santorini’s dormant volcano but to tectonic plate movements and could signal a larger impending event.
Santorini, part of the Hellenic Volcanic Arc, is in one of Europe’s most seismically active regions. The island, home to 20,000 residents and drawing roughly 3.4 million tourists annually, experienced a massive volcanic eruption around 3,600 years ago that formed its famous crescent-shaped caldera. The last major earthquake in the area struck in 1956 with a magnitude of 7.5, triggering a tsunami about 80 feet high.
Experts predict the seismic activity could continue for weeks. Authorities have closed schools on Santorini and nearby Aegean islands, deployed emergency crews, and added extra flights to accommodate increased departures.
