Greek professor warns Santorini volcano active since January

A leading Greek seismologist has warned that the volcano on islet in the Aegean Sea has been activated since late January.

Speaking to the In.gr news outlet, Panagiotis Papadimitriou, an emeritus professor of seismology at the University of Athens, said the activation so far hasn’t led to seismic activity, but the scientists remain on yellow alert.

Possible 6.3 magnitude quake threat

According to him, the seismic activity in the area of Santorini will either weaken or lead to an earthquake of 6 to 6.3 magnitude on the Richter scale, which is not forecasted to cause a serious impact on the surrounding islands as the distance from the epicenter will be over 20 kilometers (12.4 miles).

“This would accelerate the completion of the seismic sequence,” he added.

The small volcanic island of Santorini is one of Greece’s most popular tourist attractions, with an estimated 3.4 million tourists visiting annually.

On Feb. 6, Greek authorities declared a state of emergency for the island until March 3 due to a surge in seismic activity.

Meanwhile, no earthquake above magnitude 4 has been recorded in the Aegean Sea in recent days. The most recent seismic activity occurred on February 18, when a 5-magnitude earthquake struck in the early hours of the morning, followed by a 4.7-magnitude earthquake later that day. Since then, no earthquake above magnitude 4 has been observed.

Santorini’s tourism at stake

Seismic situation in Santorini and the Anhydros region remains a cause for ongoing attention, despite signs of easing seismic activity. The increased ground deformation in Santorini serves as a reminder that the region is seismically active and requires constant vigilance.

Meanwhile, concerns about the seismic activity in Santorini have raised questions about the future of this iconic destination. The start of the tourist season in Santorini has been postponed to May due to recent earthquakes.

While general forecasts for Greek tourism this summer appear positive, developments on Santorini have highlighted a persistent vulnerability in the tourism sector, which remains susceptible to external factors and sudden event, an issue frequently pointed out by industry operators in recent years, according to New Money.

Meanwhile, the Greek government is considering an aid package to mitigate the economic effects of seismic activity in and around the island of Santorini, media reports said Friday.

The package is expected to include measures to facilitate the hiring of foreign workers if the local labor supply falls short during the summer season.