Hundreds of tourists flee Santorini after powerful earthquake

Hundreds of tourists and locals scrambled to leave the Greek island of Santorini on Monday after a spike in seismic activity raised concerns about a potentially powerful earthquake.

Authorities arranged for several additional flights between the island and the Greek capital of Athens, as ships carried people away from the island.

Evacuation orders come after more than 280 undersea earthquakes were recorded in the area over the past three days, specifically between Santorini and the nearby island of Amorgos.

Greek experts say the quakes, many with magnitudes over 4.5, are not linked to Santorini’s volcano, but that the pattern of seismic activity is cause for concern.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis asked islanders to, “remain calm” as he attended an informal meeting of ministers in Brussels on Monday.

“We have a very intense geological phenomenon to handle. I want to ask our islanders first and foremost to remain calm and listen to the instructions of the Civil Protection Authority,” Mitsotakis said.

Local authorities ordered schools to remain shut and banned residents access to some seaside areas — including the island’s old port — which are in close proximity to rocky cliffs.

Hotels were also instructed to drain swimming pools to reduce potential building damage from an earthquake.

Residents say that the tremors, which continued throughout Sunday night and into Monday, have worried them.

“I have never felt anything like this and with such frequency — an earthquake every 10 or 20 minutes. Everyone is anxious even if some of us hide it not to cause panic, but everyone is worried,” said Michalis Gerontakis, the director of the Santorini Philharmonic Orchestra.

Professor Efthymios Lekkas, head of Greece’s Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization, said the situation may take a few weeks before returning to normal.

“It will continue for several more days, perhaps even several weeks, given that we are dealing with an extremely complex process of evolution of the phenomenon,” Lekkas stressed.

Santorini, a premier tourism destination, draws more than three million visitors annually to its whitewashed scenic villages, with most of its visitors arriving via ferries and cruise ships.