Santorini in state of emergency as women & kids flee and men guard from looters…amid warning quake terror may last weeks

A STATE of emergency has been declared on Santorini after a series of strong quakes hit the island this week. The constant earthquakes have forced hundreds of tourists and families to flee amid fears of  “a mega event” that may last for weeks. Dramatic pictures show people leaving the idyllic island en masse while shocking footage shows landslides, leaving behind large clouds of dust. Nearly 15,000 people have fled the island with most described as "terrified" mums and children while local men stayed behind to protect properties from potential looter.

The popular holiday resort was plunged into crisis mode after thousands of undersea tremors forced its town hall to call the month-long state of emergency. A statement by the Thira Municipality reads: "A state of emergency has been decided to confront urgent needs and deal with the consequences that have arisen from the seismic activity.". It added that the measures would be in place until March 3. The tourist hot spot resembled a ghost town with police cordoning off most of Santorini’s spectacular cliff-top town as the roar of rockslides mounted along with fears of a powerful quake triggering a tsunami.

"The men have stayed behind to look after everything we own,” Chryssa Pappas told the Sun as she waited to board a ferry with her young son and daughter. "We’re all really scared. Our island is shaking constantly and no one seems to know what will happen next.". Earlier mayor Nikos Zorgos had warned against panic taking hold as a mass exodus of holidaymakers and local families began. It follows a magnitude 5.2 tremor on Wednesday - the most powerful recorded this week.

Around 7,7000 quakes have shaken the volcanic isle in the past week. Since February 1, 108 earthquakes measuring over 4 on the Richter scale had been recorded while a total of 90 of the same magnitude had been recorded for all of 2023. In total between January 26 and February 3, there were 6,400 recorded quakes between the volcanic island of Santorini and Amorgos. Within minutes of the emergency measure being taken, officials said prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis would fly into the island on Friday.

Later on Thursday the Greek government announced that military and more fire brigade personnel would be dispatched to Santorini "for security reasons" as fears of looting also grew. Social workers and psychologists are also being sent to the island "to help people cope.". Natural disaster experts said they feared a 5.2 magnitude earthquake late Wednesday – felt even in Athens and the strongest on record yet – could be a prelude to an earthquake so  powerful it would trigger a tsunami.

The older generation on Santorini still have memories of the catastrophic quake that struck the island in July 1956, leaving 50 dead and hundreds injured. Greek sesimologist Akis Tselepis said: "There is no doubt that the same fault line has been activated. “The seismic activity is not withdrawing, on the contrary it is gaining in momentum. "The big fault line that gave us the catastrophic earthquake of 1956 is once again alive and the worst case scenario is that we will again see an earthquake of the same magnitude.”.

Other natural disaster expert said they believed the “highly unnatural geological phenomenon” could continue for weeks and even months. Experts say the seismic activity is unrelated to volcanic activity in the Aegean Sea. Professor of Seismology and Geology, Efthimios Lekkas told ERT the island could see a 6 magnitude earthquake in the coming days. "There is no possibility of a major earthquake. In other words, the scenario for above 6 points (6.1 or 6.2) is less possible and the scenario - in the extreme case - for below 6 points is more possible.".