Greek expert: Seismic activity in Aegean Sea signals potential for major earthquake

Greek seismic engineer Professor Panayotis Karidis has said that the epicenter of the earthquakes has shifted from the most populous Greek island, Santorini, towards the northeast, which has reduced the danger.

Since January 28, 570 tremors have been recorded in the Aegean Sea. Due to the ongoing seismic activity, schools on four Greek islands have been suspended until February 7, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

"Such earthquakes will undoubtedly occur in the future, but we do not know when it will happen. If a powerful earthquake does occur, I hope it happens before the tourist season, so it will be easier to handle the situation," the seismologist explained.

Karidis emphasised that the scale of potential damage from an earthquake depends not only on its magnitude but also on how far residential areas are from the epicenter.

He also warned that landslides triggered by the earthquake could become an additional problem. 

"The worst-case scenario is that the epicenter of such an earthquake, even if it's around a 5 on the Richter scale, could be beneath buildings, close to the surface," he concluded. Karidis stressed the significance of using this period of seismic activity as an opportunity to prepare.

“If these tremors are foreshocks of a larger earthquake, we are fortunate to have time to take action. This is different from the February 2023 Türkiye earthquakes, where no significant warning tremors occurred beforehand,” he explained.

Karidis drew a comparison to past events in Santorini, where people historically evacuated after small earthquakes, which helped prevent casualties when stronger quakes or volcanic eruptions occurred later.

Hundreds of people have left Santorini by ferry and plane as a series of earthquakes continue to shake the popular Greek tourist island.

According to seismologists, seismic activity has been persistent in recent days, with hundreds of tremors recorded every few minutes in the sea between Santorini and Amorgos.

The Athens Geodynamic Institute recorded the strongest tremor at 4.9 magnitude early on February 4.

Meanwhile, residents and seasonal workers have rushed to leave, with large crowds gathering at Santorini’s port to board ferries to Athens. 

Precautionary measures have extended to hotels, some of which have begun emptying their swimming pools after advice that excessive water loads could make buildings more vulnerable. Construction work has also been suspended.

Greece sits at the boundary of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, making it one of the most earthquake-prone regions in Europe. Santorini itself was shaped by a massive volcanic eruption around 1600 BC, one of the largest in recorded history. The last eruption in the area occurred in 1950.

By Naila Huseynova