Produced by: Manoj Kumar
A series of small earthquakes has been recorded on Santorini, raising concerns about possible volcanic activity. Scientists are closely monitoring the seismic shifts near the island’s caldera.
Greek officials and volcanologists met at the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry to assess the risks, following an increase in tremors concentrated at the northern caldera.
A monitoring station at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki detected at least 39 minor quakes, most below magnitude 3.5, in a single day, indicating possible underground movement.
Santorini’s landscape was shaped by the Minoan eruption of 1600 B.C., one of history’s most powerful volcanic events. Some believe it inspired the legend of Atlantis.
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A similar seismic episode between 2011 and 2012 was linked to magma shifts below Nea Kameni, but no eruption followed, showing that increased activity doesn’t always signal an imminent event.
The last confirmed eruption in 1950 formed a lava dome and sent ash clouds into the sky. A more violent eruption in A.D. 726 reportedly caused the sea to boil.
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A 2024 study found that over half a million years ago, the Santorini volcano ejected an estimated 21.6 cubic miles of rock and ash, proving its potential for catastrophic eruptions.
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Scientists from the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program stress the importance of long-term observation, as shifts in magma and land subsidence could indicate future eruptions.
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While the recent quakes are concerning, experts remain divided on whether they signal an imminent eruption or a natural phase of the volcano’s ongoing activity.
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