Santorini was struck by an earthquake of powerful and shallow magnitude, which is the strongest to hit the Greek island during the recent seismic activity in the region.
The tremors felt in Athens on Monday evening and measured a focal depth of 17 km (10.6 miles).
Residents of the neighboring island Amorgos remain on alert after the last tremor, which followed a moderate earthquake of 5.0 between the islands on Sunday evening.
The tourist hotspot has been shaken by seismic activity since January and more than 12,800 earthquakes have been detected by the seismological laboratory of the University of Athens.
Some residents have been seen patrolling dangerous areas to dissuade tourists from taking photos on the cliffs.
Land lands have occurred in many regions of Santorini due to the frequency and intensity of tremors and experts have not excluded a major earthquake.
Seismologists were optimistic about the intensity of earthquakes that were starting to calm down, but are now afraid to get worse.
A state of emergency will remain in place on Santorini until at least March 3.
The Sunday earthquake was preceded by three smaller ones more than 4.0, while the three Monday mornings were also more than 4.0.
The inspections found no damage to the buildings in Santorini or Amorgos.
No injury has been reported following earthquakes, which have been counted by thousands since January 26, but more than 11,000 people have left the islands.
Schools will remain closed on Santorini, Amorgos and several other islands on Monday and Tuesday.
A team from the special response to disasters took place for Amorgos de Patras with a special earthquake rescue vehicle, and the technical teams should inspect the electricity network on the island.
Kostas Papazachos, professor of seismology at the University of Aristotle de Thessaloniki, told the Greek broadcaster that the authorities should allow the situation to continue during most of February.
“Hopefully we are going to evolve towards a progressive de-escalation,” he said.
“We will have to be a little patient and see. Hopefully that after a few weeks, the phenomenon will begin to calm down.”
He said that the possibility of a major earthquake had not been completely excluded.
Meanwhile, the Viking Star cruise ship, with 893 passengers and 470 crews, accosted at the port of Suda in Crete early Monday morning.
It was to be the first cruise ship of the season in Santorini. The ship has changed its route mainly to avoid overcrowding of cable cars in Santorini during seismic activity.
The strongest earthquake so far was a magnitude of 5.2 Thursday. Six and more are considered severe.
Greece is one of the countries most subject to European earthquakes, but scientists are perplexed by the current “clusters” of earthquakes that have not been linked to a major shock.
Santorini is on what is called the Hellenic volcanic arch, which is an islands created by volcanoes, but the last major eruption was in the 1950s.
The Greek authorities have said that recent tremors were linked to tectonic plaques movements, not to volcanic activity.
Scientists cannot predict the exact calendar, size or location of earthquakes.
From January 26 to February 8, 2025, the Sismology Laboratory (SL) of the University of Athens recorded more than 12,800 earthquakes in the Santori-Amorgos area.
Additional Ruth Comerford report.
