The view in the beautiful Imerovigli, of the white houses seemingly floating above the Caldera, was abruptly interrupted last Sunday by the roar of rocks that detached and tumbled forcefully down the cliff. Tourists enjoying the sunset panicked and rushed to safety, while locals recorded the terrifying moments on their phones. The video that circulated and was republished by international media vividly illustrates how fragile the balance is on the Aegean’s most famous island.

A terrifying cloud of dust covered Imerovigli, Santorini on Sunday, when a section of land suddenly collapsed, sweeping away everything in its path. The video recorded by residents and obtained by protothema.gr, captures the dramatic moments and highlights the serious dangers posed by overbuilding in a geologically unstable area. The images are impressive but also alarming: within a few seconds, the entire area was enveloped in a thick veil of dust, with residents and tourists watching in horror as the collapse unfolded.

A 4.6 magnitude earthquake occurred at 02:30 on Tuesday morning off the coast of Santorini.