Santorini Declares State of Emergency as Unusual Earthquake Swarm Persists

Thousands have evacuated the Greek island as scientists warn the seismic activity could precede a larger quake, though volcanic risk has been ruled out.

Santorini has experienced hundreds of small earthquakes over the past week, with the largest reaching a magnitude of 5.2, prompting a state of emergency declaration.
Experts describe the phenomenon as an 'earthquake swarm,' a rare series of similarly sized tremors that may continue for weeks or lead to a larger earthquake.
Greek authorities have evacuated over 11,000 residents and tourists, restricted access to clifftop areas, and issued landslide warnings for several zones on the island.
Scientists have ruled out immediate volcanic activity as the cause, attributing the tremors to tectonic stress between the African and Eurasian plates.
Concerns have been raised about the safety of Santorini's construction boom, with many buildings on unstable volcanic soil lacking proper permits or reinforcement.