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Evacuation ordered in Santorini amid wave of earthquakes

Evangelo Sipsas

01:28

The picturesque island of Santorini, known for its dazzling sunsets and pristine white-washed homes, is now at the center of an unfolding nightmare. 

Panic has gripped the island as relentless earthquakes shake the ground beneath residents and tourists alike. 

At the Port of Piraeus in Athens, ferries have been arriving all night, packed with exhausted and shaken passengers desperate to escape the unsettling tremors. The scene is one of chaos—worried families clutching their belongings, children in tears and wide-eyed tourists recalling the scenes they left behind.

People wait to board a ferry to Piraeus. /Reuters
People wait to board a ferry to Piraeus. /Reuters

People wait to board a ferry to Piraeus. /Reuters

"We came here because the strong tremors started two, three, four days ago, and just a little while ago, there was a 5.1. I left for my little one—she's in a strange state of shock. Things are just too dangerous," an evacuee explained to CGTN.

Evacuations took place by sea and air. /Reuters
Evacuations took place by sea and air. /Reuters

Evacuations took place by sea and air. /Reuters

The scene at Santorini's airport isn't much better. Stranded travelers recount the horror of experiencing tremors while waiting for their flights.

"Every five minutes we were shaking. Three times, emergency texts told us to evacuate," one distressed traveler, told CGTN. "Then, just as we thought it was over, a bigger one hit while we were at the airport. That's when we knew—we had to get out."

Since Friday, over 200 undersea quakes have been recorded between Santorini and Amorgos, reaching magnitudes of up to 5.0. Authorities have moved swiftly, shutting down schools and urging people to avoid enclosed spaces and rocky cliffs.

Tourists carry their luggage as they leave the village of Fira. /Reuters
Tourists carry their luggage as they leave the village of Fira. /Reuters

Tourists carry their luggage as they leave the village of Fira. /Reuters

Though experts assure the public that the tremors are tectonic and not volcanic, the unrelenting nature of the shaking has left many fearing the worst. "We've recorded over 550 tremors in just ten days," Vassilis Karastathis, Research Director at the Institute of Geodynamics in Athens, told CGTN. "Only 183 of them exceeded a magnitude of 3, but the activity is not slowing down," he added.

Despite reassurances from experts, no one can predict when this seismic storm will end. Officials remain on high alert, deploying a 26-member emergency team and a rescue dog unit near Santorini's hospital in case the situation worsens.

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