GREECE
Scientist reassuring on Santorini quakes as tremors continue

A Greek seismologist reassured the public on Saturday that a series of earthquakes recorded mostly over the past week in the area of the Santorini caldera are likely the result of tectonic movements and not volcanic activity.

Dozens of tremors were recorded on Saturday, with the largest ones having a magnitude of 4-4.4, according to the Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens. The tremors occurred 35.2 and 26 kilometres east-northeast of Santorini and had a focal depth of two to five kilometres.

Post-seismic activity in the area is intense, with weak 2-3-magnitude tremors occurring every few minutes.

“There are indeed many earthquakes, especially in the last week. Since the beginning of January, but especially in the last week, more than 150 to 200 earthquakes, [but] few are recorded right on the island of Santorini. Most are in a distance to the northeast, about 10 to 30 kilometers away,” Greek seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos, director of research at the Geodynamic Institute, told state-run broadcaster ERT.

“The important thing is that from the examination we have done it does not appear that they are volcanic earthquakes. In other words, they are not earthquakes that are related to some volcanic processes in the subsoil, under the volcano or around the volcano. They are purely tectonic earthquakes, of the kind that could occur in any other region of the country,” he explained.

On Wednesday, Greece’s civil protection minister called a meeting with local and disaster response officials to discuss the “mild seismic-volcanic activity” in Santorini’s caldera, according to a ministry announcement.

The recent volcanic activity is similar to that of 2011-2012, which lasted about 14 months and came to an end without a volcanic event, the ministry said in an announcement.

The crescent-shaped island of Santorini is one of Greece’s most popular tourist destinations, drawing visitors from across the world.

Source: Ekathimerini.com

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