Prominent Greek seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos reiterated his warning that a major earthquake will strike Greece, singling out the Corinthian Gulf as an area of particular concern.

Speaking in a radio interview with Parapolitika 90.1, he called for an urgent assessment of how prepared surrounding communities are to withstand a powerful seismic event.

Papadopoulos said he stood by his long-held position that a large earthquake was coming, while declining to specify a timeframe.

“Has anyone asked whether there are protective measures in place for the towns and settlements around the Corinthian Gulf?” he said. “There are many cities and towns that need to assess how ready they are to face a powerful earthquake whenever it occurs — and that is the crux of the matter.”

The interview coincided with Papadopoulos receiving the Sergey Soloviev Medal from the European Geosciences Union, awarded annually to a scientist of international standing for contributions to the understanding of natural hazards. His acceptance lecture focused on the Santorini volcano and related phenomena.

Santorini Volcano ‘Sleeping but Will Wake’

On Santorini, Papadopoulos described the volcano as dormant rather than extinct. “The volcano is in a state of sleep — but just as people wake up when they sleep, so too will the volcano wake up one day,” he said. He stressed that the priority was not to predict when an eruption might occur, but to study the volcano’s behavior continuously, draw comparisons with other volcanoes worldwide, and develop effective protective measures in advance.

He also called for the regular updating of Greece’s civil protection operational plan, known as “Talos,” with the latest scientific data to ensure it remained fit for purpose.