A state of emergency has been declared on the Greek island of Santorini after days of consecutive earthquakes. It comes after a magnitude 5.2 tremor was recorded at 21:09 local time (19:09 GMT) on Wednesday between the Greek islands of Amorgos and Santorini, making it the strongest in recent days. It is estimated to have occurred at a depth of 5km (3.1 miles). The decree will be in effect until 3 March to "address the emergency needs and manage the consequences", officials said. More than 11,000 people have already left Santorini, with around 7,000 departing by ferry and 4,000 by air.
Greece’s government declared a state of emergency on Santorini on Thursday after hundreds of undersea earthquakes shook the resort island for nearly a week. The ministry of civil protection’s announcement will provide authorities faster access to state resources. It follows a magnitude 5.2 tremor –- the most powerful recorded since activity started on Jan. 31 –- that struck late Wednesday. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis confirmed that multiple emergency services were already mobilized to support the island. “Fire departments, police, coast guard, armed forces, and emergency medical services have immediately reinforced Santorini and surrounding islands with additional personnel and specialized equipment,” he told reporters.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake has struck Santorini after days of frequent tremors, prompting the Greek government to announce a state of emergency. Since Friday, the island has been hit by hundreds of tremors and quakes, including many that have exceeded 4.5 in magnitude. The latest earthquake struck between the islands of Santorini and Amorgos. The 5.2 magnitude quake hit at 9.09pm local time on Wednesday February 5 and was followed by a 4.7 magnitude earthquake at 7.50am on Thursday morning. More than 57 tremors were recorded between midnight at 6.30am on Thursday.
