15-02-2025
Greek island of Santorini experiences seismic tremor lasting hours
A continuous tremor has been recorded around the Greek island of Santorini in the southern Aegean Sea, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported.
"There is a more or less continuous tremor in the area of Santorini. It seems that nothing can be seen (but it is night time) but that some noise can be heard," the EMSC posted on X on Friday evening.
"We do not know for sure what is going on," it added. The tremor lasted for several hours according to graphs shown in the post.
The seismologists believe that subterranean liquid magma is causing the phenomenon but remain unsure. The movements could be taking place in the Earth's crust but were not necessarily an indication of an eruption, they said.
Athanassios Ganas, head of research at the Athens Geodynamics Institute, told the To Proto Thema newspaper: "These are multiple microquakes that are presumably caused by the movement of volcanic liquids."
The area to the north-east of Santorini has been experiencing tremors for weeks, and many of the island's residents have left.
Seismologist have thus far seen no indication of a pending major eruption.
Evi Nomikou, geologist from the University of Athens, posted on Facebook that similar tremors had been recorded in 2011 and 2012 without serious consequences.
