A state of emergency was declared on the Greek island of Santorini today amid increased seismic activity that continues to shake the popular Aegean island and neighboring Amorgos, Anafi and Ios, and which has forced many residents and visitors to leave the area, the online edition of the newspaper "Kathimerini" reports, BTA reported.
The state of emergency will be in effect until March 3, civil protection authorities announced. The tremors continue to shake the area, raising the risk of serious landslides and rockfalls.
On Tuesday night alone, six earthquakes with a magnitude of around 4 were recorded in the Santorini area, which were followed by a stronger 5.2 quake south of Amorgos last night.
The intense activity is also causing problems for residents who have chosen to stay there. "The ongoing tremors are starting to tire us out. Especially last night. It happened again and again. People are worried, of course, but the biggest problem is that they are awake all the time," Anafi Mayor Iakovos Poussos told the national news agency ANA-MPA.