Greek island emptied as thousands flee after powerful jolts
Thousands of people are fleeing the Greek island of Santorini, one of Greece’s top tourist destinations, as continued seismic activity rattles the region. Local media reports that since last week, up to 6,000 people, including both residents and tourists, have left the island by ferry or plane due to anxiety over frequent tremors.
Public broadcaster ERT confirmed that those remaining on the island are on high alert, as more than 500 tremors have been recorded since Monday, with the strongest reaching nearly a magnitude of 5 on the Richter scale. Despite the ongoing tremors, authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
Efthymios Lekkas, a prominent geologist, expressed cautious optimism, telling ERT, “The positive thing would be for an earthquake of magnitude 5 to 5.5 to occur, which would not cause us any problems or damage, so that the gradual easing of the phenomenon could begin.”
Meanwhile, Athanasios Ganas, research director of the Geodynamic Institute, commented that the likelihood of a larger earthquake is diminishing. “The cluster scenario is strengthening, meaning we will not have a larger earthquake, meaning that the unfavorable scenario is slowly moving to second priority in terms of probability,” Ganas explained.
The island, known for its breathtaking views and as a major tourist attraction, is currently experiencing its most intense seismic activity in recent times, causing widespread concern among both locals and visitors.
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