Santorini sees strongest quake yet in weeks of highly unusual seismic activity

The Greek island of Santorini has been rattled by a further earthquake.

The latest quake, one of thousands to hit the volcanic island in recent weeks, is the strongest so far with a magnitude of 5.3.

Medical staff staged a hospital evacuation drill as scientists said it is unclear whether the weeks of highly unusual seismic activity precede a larger quake.

Several more quakes with magnitudes between 4 and 4.8 hit on Tuesday with epicentres between the islands of Amorgos and Santorini, one of Greece’s most popular tourist destinations.

Authorities last week declared a state of emergency on Santorini, where the incessant seismic activity has prompted the deployment of rescue crews with drones and a sniffer dog and put the coastguard and navy vessels on standby.

Thousands of residents and visitors have left the island, while schools on Santorini and nearby islands have been ordered to remain closed for the week.

Deputy health minister Marios Themistokleous said specialised doctors had been sent to Santorini’s hospital, where tents have been set up in the courtyard as a precaution.

Medical staff practised an evacuation drill, running outside while wheeling stretchers with people posing as patients.

Meanwhile, scientists said they have detected several thousand earthquakes, the vast majority of them with small magnitudes, in just over two weeks near Santorini.

Overall, about 12,000 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than one have been registered since January 26, with 109 occurring on Monday alone, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens’ crisis management committee said in a statement.

“The possibility of a main earthquake following cannot be ruled out,” the statement said.

Although Greece lies in a highly seismically active part of the world and earthquakes are frequent, it is very rare for any part of the country to experience such an intense barrage of earthquakes for such an extended period of time.