Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis urged residents of the island of Santorini to remain calm and cooperate with the authorities, in statements on Wednesday after a briefing held at the climate crisis and civil protection ministry on the recent flurry of seismic activity in the area.
Seismic activity remains intense in the Cyclades, with 46 earthquakes recorded between midnight and 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Two more earthquakes of magnitude 4.7 and 4.8 respectively, occurred in the sea region Between Santorini and Amorgos at 13:08 and 13:10 on Wednesday.
The premier said that there will be daily updates with the latest scientific data and thanked the scientists for their very informative presentation.
He pointed out, at the same time, that Greece has a globally recognized scientific community dealing with issues related to earthquakes and volcanoes, while there is a collaboration with the best scientists in the world “because Santorini is a unique geological laboratory in the world, which constantly arouses the interest of foreign scientists.”
Mitsotakis on Santorini earthquakes: The state must trust science
Consequently, he continued, the presentations are not the result of a last-minute mobilization but of decades of steady and methodical work. “First and foremost, the state must trust science. We have done this in the management of other crises as well. We are doing the same now. Obviously, nobody can speak with absolute certainty,” the premier said.
“Today [Wednesday] we are a little more optimistic than we were yesterday, without—I underline—anyone being able to make any predictions, and that’s why, at this juncture, absolute compliance is needed with the instructions of Civil Protection, which takes into account all the scientific data of the two committees that meet every day. It is clear that the entire state mechanism has been mobilized,” Mitsotakis underlined.
At least 10,000 people left Santorini
The Greek PM’s appeal to the residents of Santorini comes as at least 10,000 people have evacuated from the island in recent days fearing a strong earthquake. Most businesses have shut down, and airlines and ferry operators have increased the number of departures to accommodate the fleeing population.
Authorities have introduced safety measures, including halting construction, shutting schools on Santorini and the nearby islands of Ios, Amorgos and Anafi, and ordering residents and hotels to empty their pools to reduce the burden on the ground.
Amorgos has also been significantly affected by the tremors, with residents expressing deep concern. Konstantinos Grispos, Deputy Mayor of Civil Protection of Amorgos, stated: “We have never experienced anything like this. There is growing concern, especially after the 5.0 magnitude earthquakes.”
Given the volcanic history of Santorini, scientists are also investigating whether the continuous tremors could trigger volcanic activity. However, volcanologist Georgios Vougioukalakis reassured the public that there is no indication of volcanic activation in the Nea Kameni or Kolumbo volcanoes.
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