Earthquake on Santorini: residents and tourists flee

A fourth day of earthquakes on the Greek island of Santorini is a fact.

Now residents and tourists flee for fear.

– How can you be calm when the ground shakes over and over again? says a Mexican tourist who is on the island to Protothems.

Greek local media goes hot by the reporting of the earthquakes at Santorini.

For four days in a row, the popular holiday island has been hit by hundreds of earthquakes. On Monday afternoon, local time reached a quake up to 4.8 on the Richter scale – which was the highest level reported so far in recent days.

Extra -legged flights and ferries have transported families and people who have chosen to leave the island.

Schools have also closed as a result of the earthquake. In addition to Santorini, no teaching will take place in schools at iOS, Amorgos and Anafi until the end of the week, writes Several media. This has been on the order of the Greek Civil Protection Authority.

Experts warns – the danger doesn’t over

Although the quake has been going on for several days, experts cannot give a soothing message yet.

– We have not had the biggest earthquake, says a seismologist to The Guardian.

– The risk level has escalated, says another.

And Prime Minister Kyriako’s Mitsotakis says the situation is currently challenging.

“We have a very intense geological phenomenon to handle,” he told reporters in Brussels, when he attended an informal EU meeting.

He urged the residents to stay calm and listen to the instructions from the relevant authorities.

At the same time as residents and tourists flee the island, sick personnel and emergency services arrive. It has not been excluded that the army should be inserted as part of increased preparedness.

“Every fifth minute”

One who bought tickets to leave the island with his wife and son is Tzanis Lignos, 35, as the news channel Ekathimerini Talked to.

– For three days now there have been earthquakes all the time, every five minutes. It is continuous and it does not end at all – the whole island is traumatized. No one could sleep tonight because it was very noise. We ran out, which is why we can’t stay here anymore, he says.

A Mexican tourist that the magazine Protothema talked to testifies to fear of what has happened and what may happen in the future.

– I cried all night because I was very scared and didn’t know what to do. We felt that the ground was not stable. We all said that we would keep calm but how can you be calm when the ground shakes over and over again?

Air tickets sell out

Greece’s largest airline Aegean Airlines announced on Monday evening that they doubled the number of flights between the capital Athens and Santorini on Tuesday and Wednesday. The reason is that travel agencies said that tickets have sold out “within seconds”.

Santorini is one of Greece’s most popular tourist islands. In 2023, over three million tourists visited Santorini, according to AFP. On the island there are just over 15,000 residents.