11,000 residents & tourists flee Santorini after more than 300 earthquakes in 2 days

A tremor with a magnitude of 4.8 was recorded early Tuesday, just shy of a 4.9 quake recorded over the weekend – the strongest so far.

Santorini has experienced over 550 earthquakes since the weekend, with the strongest at 4.9 magnitude. More than 6,000 residents have evacuated, and experts warn that seismic activity may persist. The island, which usually hosts millions of tourists, is now deserted, with… pic.twitter.com/LJ9WUbN3iR

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Over the past three days, some 550 tremors with a magnitude of 3.0 have been recorded in the Aegean Sea, between Santorini and the nearby islands of Amorgos and Ios.

Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization (OASP) has estimated that the intense seismic activity may continue for many more days, if not weeks.

Greece’s national broadcaster ERT said a magnitude six or greater earthquake couldn’t be ruled out.

Santorini is popularly known as the “Instagram Island” that attracts some 3.4 million visitors a year while being home to around 20,000 permanent residents, many of whom have fled the region after concerns regarding safety.

Rocks are falling from cliffs in Santorini following an unusual number of earthquakes, Wednesday in a row. Schools and official institutions have been closed, crowds of tourists and citizens are fleeing the popular island due to the unusual phenomenon pic.twitter.com/cOZRGtIyuA

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While there is no report of any major destruction or tragedy, under the current circumstances, authorities have closed schools and warned against large indoor gatherings. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has urged people to remain calm.

According to BBC, an additional 51 firefighters and nine vehicles, as well as a fire department helicopter and aerial rescuers have been brought to the island as a precaution.

Santorini is situated on the Hellenic Volcanic Arc – a chain of islands created due to volcanic activity but according to authorities, the recent tremors were related to tectonic plate movements, not volcanic activity.

(with inputs from BBC and CNN)