Greece Under Quake Alert as Aegean Islands Experience Tremors

In a serious wake-up call, Greece is on high alert following a sequence of more than 200 earthquakes that hit the Aegean region, particularly around the popular tourist destination of Santorini. Authorities sprang into action, closing schools and deploying emergency services after tremors were felt across the islands over the last 48 hours.

The country's civil protection ministry confirmed that the earthquakes, predominantly minor yet increasing in intensity, have been alarming residents. Seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos characterized the activity as an "intense pre-seismic sequence," noting that some quakes surpassed a magnitude of 4.5. In his updates, he mentioned readings reaching 4.7 and 4.9, indicating a potentially worrying trend.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, while attending an EU summit in Brussels, urged island residents to remain calm and heed civil protection guidelines. Fortunately, the impact so far has been minimal, with no injuries reported, though minor landslides were documented. Greece's geographical position, straddling numerous fault lines, often places it in danger of seismic events; however, the current series of increasing tremors is relatively rare.

Emergency teams remain on standby as the situation evolves, with authorities urging vigilance among local inhabitants and tourists alike.