Thousands of residents have fled the island of Santorini after a swarm of earthquakes shook the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea on Tuesday morning. According to the BBC, over 300 earthquakes have been recorded in the past two days near the island, and Greece's Earthquake Planning and Protection Organization (OASP) has estimated that the intense seismic activity may continue for many more days if not weeks. Around 9,000 residents have already left the island. Authorities have closed the schools and warned against large indoor gatherings. Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has, however, urged calm.
Santorini, dubbed Greece's "Instagram Island," attracts millions of visitors yearly but is only home to around 2,000 permanent residents. In recent days, many of the locals have fled the island for the safety of the mainland, and for those who've decided to stay in Santorini, Greek officials have warned them to stay alert in the coming days due to the increasing seismic activity.
Over the past three days, hundreds of tremors with a magnitude of 3.0 or more have been recorded in the Aegean Sea, between Santorini and the nearby islands of Amorgos and Ios, as per the BBC. No major damage has been reported on the island so far, but emergency measures are being taken as a precaution. Schools on the island will remain closed until Friday and residents have been urged to avoid large indoor gatherings.
