Santorini, the volcanic island in Greece, experienced its most powerful earthquake recently, with a magnitude of 5.3, amid a series of hundreds of tremors shaking the region.
On Tuesday, medical staff conducted an evacuation drill at the local hospital as scientists remain uncertain if this unusual seismic activity indicates a larger quake ahead.
Additional quakes, with magnitudes between 4 and 4.8, struck Tuesday, centered between the islands of Amorgos and Santorini, a top tourist destination in Greece.
In response to the continuous seismic activity, authorities declared a state of emergency on Santorini last week. Rescue teams, equipped with drones and a sniffer dog, have been deployed, while coast guard and navy vessels are on high alert.
Many residents and visitors have evacuated the island, and schools on Santorini and neighboring islands have been ordered closed for the week.
Deputy Health Minister Marios Themistokleous reported that specialized doctors have been dispatched to the island’s hospital. As a precaution, tents have been set up in the hospital courtyard, and staff conducted an evacuation drill, maneuvering stretchers outdoors with individuals acting as patients.
Scientists are closely watching the ongoing seismic swarm and two nearby volcanoes. They remain uncertain if the daily quakes, which range from magnitudes 3 to just over 5, will intensify or continue for weeks or months.
Seismologists and volcanologists are scheduled to meet with government officials Tuesday evening for ongoing discussions about the situation.
Although Greece is a seismically active region with frequent earthquakes, the prolonged and intense seismic activity observed in Santorini is highly unusual.
Santorini’s current crescent shape resulted from a massive volcanic eruption in antiquity, one of the largest in human history. Today, it attracts millions of visitors who admire its stunning vistas of whitewashed houses and iconic blue-domed churches along the caldera’s edge.