Thousands flee Santorini over ongoing quakes

Between 2,500 and 3,000 people left by ferry and plane on Monday alone, including about 1,000 on a single afternoon ferry, according to local reports.

Over the past three days, evacuations have totaled 5,500 to 6,000, despite experts saying mass departures are unnecessary.

Seismic activity has intensified. A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck Monday afternoon between Santorini and Amorgos, followed by a 3.9 tremor.

“The seismic activity is not subsiding; instead, it is intensifying,” said Vassilis Karastathis, director of the Athens Observatory’s Geodynamic Institute.

Since Feb. 1, more than 240 earthquakes above magnitude 3 have been recorded, including 39 above magnitude 4, Karastathis said. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported over 555 quakes up to magnitude 5, centered about 25 kilometers northeast of Santorini.

Authorities have deployed additional monitoring equipment, with new stations on nearby Anafi and Amorgos expected to provide real-time data soon.

Crowds gathered for hours at Santorini’s port, waiting for ferries to Athens. The Blue Star 1 ferry to Piraeus was delayed due to the passenger and vehicle volume.

Officials and seismologists held an emergency meeting Monday afternoon. A seismograph was installed earlier on the uninhabited islet of Anydro to better understand the seismic sequence.

While experts urge calm, many residents fear a major earthquake and are leaving.