Santorini recently experienced a powerful earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale, the strongest in a series of tremors affecting the Greek islands. The quake, which had a depth of 17 km, was felt as far away as Athens. Following a 5.0 magnitude earthquake the previous evening, residents, especially on nearby Amorgos, are on high alert. Since January, over 12,800 earthquakes have been recorded in the region, causing landslides and prompting authorities to patrol high-risk areas to keep tourists safe. While no injuries or structural damage have been reported, more than 11,000 people have evacuated the island. Schools are closed in Santorini and Amorgos, and an emergency response unit is deploying to assess the situation. Seismologist Costas Papazakos expressed cautious optimism, suggesting a potential de-escalation of seismic activity in the coming weeks, though the risk of a major earthquake remains. Meanwhile, cruise ship Viking Star has altered its route to avoid congestion at Santorini’s port during this seismic activity. Despite being in a seismically active zone, recent tremors are attributed to tectonic movements rather than volcanic activity, with scientists noting the unusual clustering of earthquakes that is not linked to major shocks.
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