Strong earthquake near Santorini after days of tremors

A beardown earthquake has been recorded betwixt the Greek islands of Amorgos and Santorini, aft days of consecutive tremors successful the area.

More than 11,000 radical person already near Santorini with astir 7,000 departing by ferry and 4,000 radical leaving by air.

The quake followed 2 smaller tremors minutes earlier, and was recorded astatine 21:09 section clip (19:09 GMT) arsenic a magnitude 5.2 tremor, making it the strongest successful caller days.

So acold large harm has not been reported connected the land but authorities person been taking precautionary measures.

Santorini welcomes millions of tourists annually, but it is presently debased play meaning section residents and workers marque up the bulk of evacuees.

Schools connected Santorini - and different neighbouring islands including Anafi, Paros, Naxos and Mykonos - volition stay closed until Friday, erstwhile authorities volition marque a determination astir erstwhile they tin re-open.

Vassilis Kikilias, the clime and civilian extortion minister, said units of firefighters specialised successful earthy disasters were being despatched to Santorini. Teams with peculiar dogs and a mobile operations centre person besides been sent to the island, portion helicopters are connected standby successful lawsuit of emergency.

Kikilias besides said the seashore defender and equipped forces would beryllium disposable to assistance susceptible radical who privation to evacuate.

Earlier connected Wednesday, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis struck an optimistic code astatine a gathering of civilian extortion experts.

"First and foremost, the authorities trusts subject and scientists. We person done this successful different crises," the premier curate said.

"All plans person been implemented. Forces person been moved to Santorini and the different islands, truthful that we are acceptable for immoderate eventuality," stressed Mitsotakis.

"We volition proceed similar this with the bully anticipation that things volition get better, and the improvement volition subside."

Mitsotakis concluded his connection with an entreaty to the islanders to "stay calm and cooperate with the authorities".

"I recognize the fearfulness of being connected Santorini, which is perpetually shaking," helium added, emphasising that the concern would beryllium assessed connected a regular basis.

Santorini is connected what is known arsenic the Hellenic Volcanic Arc - a concatenation of islands created by volcanoes - but the past large eruption was successful the 1950s.

Greek authorities person said the caller tremors were related to tectonic sheet movements, not volcanic activity.

Scientists cannot foretell the nonstop timing, size oregon determination of earthquakes.

But determination are areas of the satellite wherever they are much apt to hap which helps governments prepare.

Earthquakes are the effect of question of tectonic plates successful the earth's crust. Sometimes these plates fastener unneurotic erstwhile they meet, which is called a sheet bound oregon a responsibility line.

Santorini and the Greek Islands are adjacent specified a line.