Athens:

Greek authorities have advised people on the Aegean island of Santorini to shut schools on Monday, avoid two small ports and refrain from gathering in indoor spaces after increased seismic activity in the area over recent days.

A series of tremors up to a 4.3 magnitude were registered on Friday and Saturday in the area between the volcanic island of Santorini and Amorgos, the civil protection ministry said in a statement on Saturday afternoon.

The ministry said the activity was not linked to volcanic activity and was receding, but experts had proposed precautionary measures including the school closures on Feb. 3. They also urged people to not access or remain at the small port of Ammoudi and the harbour of Fira, which serves mainly cruise ships.

Earthquakes measuring between 2.8 and 4.5 struck the area on Sunday morning, according to the Athens Geodynamic institute, without causing damage. Greece sits on multiple fault lines and is often rattled by earthquakes.

Santorini is one of Greece’s top tourist destinations.

One of the largest eruptions in history, around 1600 BC, formed the island in its current shape. The last eruption in the area occurred in 1950.

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Greece’s famed tourist island hotspot, Santorini, has witnessed a sudden increase in seismic activity, prompting the authorities to call for an urgent meeting. As per the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry, monitoring sensors had picked up “mild seismic-volcanic activity” in Santorini’s caldera, leading to speculation and concerns, especially given the island’s tourism-driven economy and the potential for geological upheaval.

The curved island in the Aegean Sea is located around a flooded volcanic caldera with monitoring stations detecting at least 39 quakes in a single day, mostly magnitude 3.5 or less, as per a report in Live Science.

The island is famous for its historical volcanic activity, particularly the massive Minoan eruption around 1600 BC which is regarded as one of the largest in human history. Between 2011 and 2012, Santorini experienced a similar seismic swarm linked to magma movement beneath the surface, but no eruption ensued.

The most recent eruption in Santorini’s history was recorded in 1950, suggesting that the island’s volcano remains active but not necessarily on the brink of an eruption.

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‘No cause of concern’

Reflecting on the recent developments, Efthymios Lekkas, seismologist and head of the scientific monitoring committee for the Hellenic Volcanic Arc, stated on Greece’s ERT television that there was no immediate instance where the volcano may erupt.

“What we must realise is that the Santorini volcano produces very large explosions every 20,000 years. It’s been 3,000 years since the last explosion, so we have a very long time ahead of us before we face a big explosion,” said Mr Lekkas.

“The volcano is a living organism. We will not face a big explosion, but a mild procedure,” said Mr Lekkas adding that volcanic activity increases and decreases, and can cause small earthquakes. “

Despite no immediate danger, scientists continue to monitor the situation to understand if there’s any indication of magma movement or if it’s just part of the usual tectonic activity in the region.