Over 200 earthquakes have been recorded in the past 48 hours in the area of Anydros, located between Santorini and Amorgos. Due to this seismic activity, an emergency meeting will be held at on Sunday evening at 7:00pm at the Maximos Mansion, chaired by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to discuss the recent seismic activity in Santorini, says To Vima.
Earlier on Sunday morning, meeting took place at the Santorini Town Hall, with the participation of a special EMAK rescue team that had arrived on the island and the President of Greece’s Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization (OASP), Efthymios Lekkas.
Additionally, the Permanent Scientific Committee for Seismic Hazard Assessment and Risk Reduction and the Permanent Scientific Committee for Monitoring the Hellenic Volcanic Arc of OASP held a session.
This meeting was conducted at the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, attended by Minister Vassilis Kikilias, Deputy Minister Evangelos Tournas, Secretary-General for Civil Protection Vassilis Papageorgiou, and representatives of the Fire Service leadership.
Status of the Seismic Activity & Preventative Measures
After reviewing all available data, the scientific committees unanimously concluded that seismic activity within the caldera remains in decline. Seismic activity has increased in the past 48 hours, with over 200 earthquakes recorded in the Anydros area, between Santorini and Amorgos (with a maximum magnitude of 4.5). The current seismic activity near Anydros Island is attributed to underwater faults oriented NE-SW and is not related to volcanic activity.
The scientific committees have proposed the following precautionary measures:
Schools will remain closed on Monday, February 3, 2025, in Santorini, Anafi, Ios, and Amorgos. Citizens should avoid large gatherings indoors, avoid approaching abandoned buildings, stay away from the ports of Ammoudi, Armeni, Korfos, and the Old Port of Fira, secure any non-structural hazards in their buildings and drain water from swimming pools, choose safe routes when traveling within urban and rural road networks, especially in areas with steep terrain prone to landslides, and immediately evacuate coastal areas in case of a strong earthquake. The committees will reconvene tomorrow at noon for further assessments.

FILE PHOTO: Tourists wait to view Santorini’s famed sunset, on Santorini, Greece, July 25, 2024. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis/File Photo
Papazachos: A Strong Earthquake in Santorini Cannot Be Ruled Out
The possibility of a strong earthquake in Santorini cannot be ruled out, according to Kostas Papazachos, Professor of Geophysics at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH).
Speaking about the ongoing earthquake swarm in the sea area between Santorini and Amorgos, Papazachos emphasized that seismic activity is particularly intense in Anydros, a small island located 20–25 km from Santorini.
“This is a typical seismic sequence, but with very intense characteristics. Such sequences often turn out to be swarms, which may produce a stronger earthquake, though not necessarily a very large one,” he explained in an interview with ERT.
Regarding the decision of the Seismic Hazard Assessment Committee to implement precautionary measures in Santorini, he noted that the region hosts several significant faults, as revealed by marine research, meaning the possibility of a strong earthquake cannot be ruled out.
“That’s why these precautionary measures are in place—to minimize the potential impact of a stronger earthquake. When a seismic sequence is so active and intense, we must remain cautious because there is always the risk of something more significant occurring,” he added.
Precautionary Measures Are Standard Management
Addressing public concerns over the measures, Papazachos stressed that authorities must act responsibly.
“Closing schools or public gathering spaces is not done out of fear of an extremely powerful earthquake, as some wrongly suggest. It is done because even a moderate tremor can cause panic in crowded places, which is dangerous,” he explained.
He illustrated the importance of preventive actions, citing a scheduled event in Santorini where 600 people were expected to gather in a stadium.
“Imagine if a magnitude 5 earthquake occurred during the event—not catastrophic, but strong enough to cause panic. If people started trampling over each other, we could have serious casualties. How responsible would it be for authorities to allow such gatherings under these conditions?”
Regarding the decision to keep schools closed on Monday, February 3, Papazachos pointed out that similar measures have been taken in the past.
“How can schools operate when children feel tremors every 5 to 10 minutes? What are teachers supposed to do—constantly evacuate and re-enter the classrooms? We have seen similar decisions before. In 2016, when an earthquake occurred, a football match of PAS Giannina was postponed—not because the stadium was at risk of collapsing, but to prevent panic in a crowd of 10,000 people. Similarly, university exams were postponed,” he recalled.
“This is standard crisis management—avoiding mass gatherings during an active seismic sequence. Not because we are alarmists, but to reduce risks. What would be the responsible alternative? Allowing thousands of people in a confined space, risking panic and potential injuries?”
Mythbusting- The Volcano of Santorini Has Not Awakened
Addressing speculation about volcanic activity, Papazachos clarified:
“There is minor deformation at the volcano, which has caused slight localized seismic activity. This also happened in 2011–2012, lasted for a period, and had no consequences. These events occasionally coincide, which can be misleading.”
He dismissed exaggerated concerns, saying:
“A myth has been created around Santorini. The volcano has not awakened. There is no science fiction scenario at play. We are witnessing a common seismic sequence, something that has happened before in Santorini and in many other parts of Greece.”
Santorini is one of Greece’s most well-known tourist destinations and home of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history. The volcano erupted around 1600 BC and formed the island in its current shape. The last eruption in the area occurred in 1950.