A state of emergency has been declared in Santorini as tremors proceed.
ADVERTISEMENTA state of emergency has been declred in Santorini, a volcanic island and popular tourist destination in Greece, as an ‘earthquake swarm’ that began earlier this month continues.
Since 31 January, greater than 800 tremors with a magnitude of three and above have been recorded.
The strongest, measuring 5.2, occurred on 5 February and was even felt in Athens, Crete and parts of Turkey.
Expects say the ‘quake storm’ could proceed for weeks and even months.
Last week, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared a state of emergency, which is in place until 3 March. He pledged €3 million for an emergency evacuation route from the south of the island to be built.
He said: “We’re preparing for the worst while hoping for one of the best.”
Hundreds of residents, seasonal staff and tourists have fled Santorini and the nearby islands of Amorgos, Anafi and Ios. Greater than 200 undersea earthquakes have been recorded in the realm.
Ferry firms and airlines have added services to accommodate departures.
Here’s all the things you must know in the event you are have a visit planned to Santorini – and what to contemplate if you would like to cancel your holiday.
Santorini: Is an enormous earthquake likely?
While Greek experts say the quakes, many with magnitudes over 4.5, are usually not linked to Santorini’s volcano, they’re still unable to say whether the swarm could lead on as much as a more powerful earthquake.
“We are usually not yet ready to say that we’re seeing any evidence that may result in the sequence slowly coming to a conclusion,” Vassilis K. Karastathis, a seismologist and director of research at National Observatory of Athens, told reporters. “We’re still in the course of the road, we haven’t seen any easing, any sign that it’s heading towards a regression.”
The earthquake epicentres are concentrated in a growing cluster between the islands of Santorini, Anafi, Amorgos, and Ios. Experts view the underwater location as a mitigating factor, noting that it significantly reduces the potential for widespread damage in comparison with land-based seismic events.
Despite this, the frequency of the quakes has apprehensive residents.
“I actually have never felt anything like this and with such frequency – an earthquake every 10 or 20 minutes,” said resident Michalis Gerontakis, who can be the director of the Santorini Philharmonic Orchestra. “Everyone seems to be anxious, even when a few of us hide it to not cause panic, but everyone seems to be apprehensive.”
Hotels told to empty swimming pools amid earthquake tremors
On Santorini, residents and visitors have been advised to avoid large indoor gatherings, old buildings and areas where rock slides could occur.
ADVERTISEMENTHotels have been instructed to empty swimming pools over concerns that giant volumes of water could destabilise buildings in case of a powerful quake.
The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice for Santorini and the neighbouring island of Amorgos and reiterated the recommendation from the Greek Ministry of Civil Protection.
“The Greek ministry advises people to avoid the ports of Amoudi, Armeni, Korfos and Old Port (Paleos Limenas) in the realm of Fira and to decide on secure routes when travelling, particularly in areas where the landslide risk is high,” the travel update reads.
“In case of a powerful tremor, people should immediately depart coastal areas. For those who are within the affected areas, you need to follow the recommendation of the local authorities.”
ADVERTISEMENTCrescent-shaped Santorini is a premier tourism destination with day by day arrivals via industrial flights, ferries, and cruise ships.
The island draws greater than three million visitors annually to its whitewashed villages, built along dramatic cliffs formed by an enormous volcanic eruption greater than 3,500 years ago.
The situation of settlements has created the dramatic scenery of cascading houses and sunset viewpoints that make the island so popular, but in addition raising concerns within the event of a significant earthquake.
The sheer cliffs also make some areas vulnerable to rock slides.
ADVERTISEMENTCan travellers get a refund in the event that they cancel their holiday to Santorini?
Your right to reimbursement is determined by several aspects, including who cancels the trip and for what reasons.
“Holidaymakers expecting to travel to Santorini over the approaching days should speak to their travel operator or airline in the primary instance to establish their situation,” says Ernesto Suarez, CEO of travel insurer Gigasure.
“Whether it is deemed unsafe to travel, which is currently the recommendation from the Greek Ministry of Civil Protection, then the airline may cancel the flight.
Nonetheless, travellers must remember that within the event of an earthquake passengers will not be entitled to any compensation from the airline as disruption is being brought on by natural disasters or circumstances outside of their control.”
ADVERTISEMENTTravellers with adequate travel insurance must have financial protection if all, or a part of, their trip is delayed, cancelled, or cut short as a result of the earthquake, Suarez adds.
If you may have bought prolonged travel disruption cover you need to be covered for travel delay, abandoning or cutting short your trip and/or additional costs if you may have to maneuver accommodation or extend your stay.
Nonetheless, in case your trip has not been cancelled by the airline or tour operator and you select to not travel anyway – deemed ‘disinclination to travel’ – you’re unlikely to be entitled to compensation. Suarez advises travellers to envision their policy wording for full details.
The UK’s FCDO has not issued a ‘don’t travel’ warning and the present advice from Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs is to exercise ‘normal precautions’, which implies standard insurance policies should proceed to cover holidaymakers.
ADVERTISEMENTTravellers should note, nonetheless, that if this recommendation is upgraded to ‘avoid non-essential travel’ or ‘don’t travel’, most policies can be invalidated.
‘All scenarios remain open’
Outstanding Greek seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos cautioned that the present earthquake sequence – displayed on live seismic maps as a growing cluster of dots between the islands of Santorini, Ios, Amorgos, and Anafi – could indicate a bigger impending event.
“All scenarios remain open,” Papadopoulos wrote in an internet post. “The variety of tremors has increased, magnitudes have risen, and epicentres have shifted northeast. While these are tectonic quakes, not volcanic, the chance level has escalated.”
In Santorini’s principal town of Fira, local authorities designated gathering points for residents in preparation for a possible evacuation, though Mayor Nikos Zorzos emphasised the preventive nature of the measures.
ADVERTISEMENT“We’re obliged to make preparations. But being prepared for something doesn’t mean it would occur,” he said during a weekend briefing. “Sometimes, the way in which the situation is reported, those reports may contain exaggerations […] so people should stay calm.”
