The Greek authorities have announced a state of emergency on the island of Santorini as the seismic activity there has started increasing, causing the experts to grow more worried about the future of the island. This announcement has been made after a 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck the region. It was the strongest quake that hit the island since more than 7,700 quakes began jolting the island last week.
The state of emergency, which will last until March 3, has led to increased military participation in dealing with the crisis. Santorini’s mayor, Nikos Zorzos, pointed out that the measures of emergency were needed for proper handling of the situation. There is a mass evacuation off the island, with more than 12,000 persons leaving by boat and plane. Excess population has cast a ghostly shroud over this beautiful island, given the dwindling number of tourists.
Experts warn, however that it could be an even bigger earthquake and it may be just the beginning of something much worse. The continuous seismic activity might be a sign that a stronger quake is pending, which may even throw the island into tsunami. There was, according to National Observatory of Athens seismologist Vassilis K. Karastathis, no indication of any decrease in seismic activity anytime soon, which puts the island in a situation of uncertainty.
The local business has been drastically affected since some shops have closed and the streets are empty. Some of the tourists fear the long-run implications on the island’s tourism, which annually hosts millions of tourists.
The Greek government reacted by sending social workers and psychologists to help residents deal with the situation. The prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, will visit the island on Friday to show solidarity with the people on the island amid the ordeal.
