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98812
From: jordan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Latest quakes near Santorini volcano
URL: https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/santorini-earthquakes.html
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Santorini volcano (Greece): earthquake swarm, possibly related to volcanic activity |
98826
From: sher, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Latest quakes near Santorini volcano
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Santorini Earthquakes – Greek Professor Downplays Immediate Risk of New Volcano Forming As experts are piecing together all the available data to explain the Santorini earthquakes and the link to volcanic activity around the island in the Aegean Sea, Greek Professor of Geology and Sedimentology at the University of Patras Professor Avraam Zelilidis, explained the link between the tremors and the volcanic processes. Speaking to Greek TV […] Santorini Earthquakes – Greek Professor Downplays Immediate Risk of New Volcano Forming 14.02.2025 16:15 Society Newsroom As experts are piecing together all the available data to explain the Santorini earthquakes and the link to volcanic activity around the island in the Aegean Sea, Greek Professor of Geology and Sedimentology at the University of Patras Professor Avraam Zelilidis, explained the link between the tremors and the volcanic processes. Speaking to Greek TV station Action24, Zelilidis did not rule out the possibility of a new crater forming where the earthquake epicenters are located. When asked about potential risks to the region, Zelilidis downplayed immediate concerns. “If a new volcano is forming, there may be no immediate threat. Our concern with Kolumbo [an active submarine volcano in the Aegean Sea in Greece], for example, has been the possibility of a crater collapse, which could cause a tsunami. Kolumbo has caused such an event before, in 1650, as it is a submarine caldera. Nea Kameni [part of Santorini’s archipelago caldera], meanwhile, is still active. Over the past ten days, we have seen reports of increased gas emissions and rising water temperatures—clear signs that Nea Kameni is showing activity. Until now, seismologists denied any link between the recent tremors and volcanic activity, but they are now reconsidering after observing secondary effects. The fault line they have been monitoring is directly related to volcanic activity because they have found evidence of extinct craters along it,” he explained. According to his assessment, the Santorini earthquakes are related to volcanic activity and are unlikely to exceed a magnitude of 5.5 on the Richter scale. Zelilidis described the five stages of volcanic activity, emphasizing that the region is currently experiencing the third stage, marked by frequent and intense seismic events. “The first stage is calm, followed by preliminary signs such as weak rumblings and small, scattered tremors. The third stage, which we are currently experiencing, involves frequent and intense seismic events. The fourth stage is an eruption,” he explained. He pointed to observations from the research team working in the area, noting that the Kolumbo volcano has shown signs of uplift, and Professor Evelpidou has reported rising water temperatures and increased turbidity near Nea Kameni. According to Zelilidis, these are all warning signs of potential volcanic activity. He highlighted the government’s decision to deploy the army’s geographic service to Santorini to measure any changes beneath Nea Kameni, indicating how seriously the situation is being monitored. Zelilidis also mentioned the efforts of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (ELKETHE), whose research vessel Aigaio is currently scanning the seabed to track changes in the underwater landscape. “Based on the epicenters recorded by seismologists and the volcanic activity patterns, I can say that since Kolumbo and Nea Kameni do not appear to be the sources of the tremors, it is likely that a new crater is forming. The complexity of the seismic patterns, he added, is what leaves seismologists puzzled, as they struggle to determine which fault line is responsible for the activity. Zelilidis concluded with a measured outlook, suggesting that if a new crater is truly forming, the signs will become more evident over time. |
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98816
From: eaamon, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Latest quakes near Santorini volcano
| over 500 quakes in the last week, possible subduction going on.. |
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98813
From: ryan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Latest quakes near Santorini volcano
URL: https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/multiple-earthquakes-are-rattling-greece-s-20136656.php
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Multiple earthquakes are rattling Greece's volcanic island of Santorini. Here's what we know By ELENA BECATOROS, Associated Press Updated Feb 3, 2025 9:29 a.m. ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Multiple earthquakes are rattling Santorini, a volcanic island in Greece, prompting authorities to dispatch rescuers with tents, a sniffer dog and drones, and to shut schools on four islands. Residents have been warned to avoid indoor gatherings, check escape routes, stay away from cliffs and to drain swimming pools to reduce potential structural damage to buildings in the event of a large earthquake. Greece lies in a highly seismically active part of the world, and earthquakes are frequent. The vast majority cause no injuries and little or no damage, but the country has also seen deadly quakes. Earthquakes can't be predicted, but authorities are taking measures as a precaution. Santorini, one of Greece’s most popular tourist destinations, took its present crescent shape following a massive volcanic eruption in antiquity. Now, millions of visitors each year come to see its dramatic scenery of whitewashed houses and blue-domed churches clinging to the cliff along the flooded caldera, or volcanic crater. Last week, scientists said they had noticed increased volcanic activity in the caldera, but say this isn't linked to the earthquakes. Here’s a look at the current situation: What's going on? About 200 quakes with magnitudes between 3 and 4.9 were registered from Saturday to Monday afternoon between Santorini and the nearby island of Amorgos, authorities said. Seismologist Gerasimos Papadopoulos said on Greece’s ERT television that the seismic activity began on Jan. 24, but intensified Saturday, with increasing frequency and magnitudes. The fault line producing the current earthquakes runs for about 120 kilometers (75 miles), but only the southern part between Santorini and Amorgos has been activated. The earthquakes have epicenters beneath the seabed, roughly 30-40 kilometers (18-25 miles) from any of the islands. Scientists say this is good news, as an epicenter beneath land could potentially be more destructive. But a large quake could also trigger a tsunami, so authorities have warned people to stay away from coastal areas and head inland if they feel a significant earthquake. So far, there has been no damage or injuries reported, although some minor rock slides have occurred. Could the earthquakes trigger a volcanic eruption? Santorini lies along the Hellenic Volcanic Arc, which stretches from the Peloponnese in southern Greece through the Cycladic islands. Last Wednesday, Greece’s Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry announced monitoring sensors had picked up “mild seismic-volcanic activity” inside the island’s caldera. Similar volcanic activity had been recorded in 2011, when it lasted for 14 months and ended without any major issues. Another volcano — a submarine one called Kolumbo — lies about 8 kilometers (5 miles) northeast of Santorini, nearer to the epicenter of the current earthquakes. But seismologists say the quakes aren't related to the volcanoes. A meeting between government officials and scientists determined that seismic activity within Santorini’s caldera “remains at the same low levels as in recent days,” the Civil Protection Ministry said Monday, but that it was “particularly increased” between Santorini and Amorgos. What are authorities worried about? Scientists are still trying to determine definitively whether the multiple quakes are foreshocks — smaller earthquakes before a major temblor. Papadopoulos said that there was a “high probability” they are. Santorini’s main villages are built along the rim of the volcano’s caldera — producing the dramatic scenery of cascading whitewashed houses and sunset viewpoints that make the island so popular, but also raising concerns in the event of a major earthquake. The sheer cliffs also make some areas prone to rock slides. What precautions are being taken? Authorities sent a team of rescuers with a sniffer dog and drones to Santorini, where they set up tents in a basketball court next to the island’s main hospital as a staging area. Push alerts have been sent to cellphones warning people to stay away from areas where rock slides could occur, and banning access to some coastal areas. Residents and hotels have been asked to drain swimming pools, as the water movement in a major quake could destabilize buildings. People have been told to avoid old buildings and check for exit routes when in built-up areas. Schools on Santorini, as well as the nearby islands of Anafi, Amorgos and Ios, will remain shut all week. What's the history? The fault line that has been activated was the site of Greece’s largest quake in the last century: a 7.7 magnitude temblor dubbed the Amorgos earthquake that struck in 1956, triggering a roughly 20-meter (65-foot) tsunami, causing significant damage in Amorgos and Santorini and killing more than 50 people. Santorini is also the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in human history. Known as the Minoan eruption, it occurred around 1,600 B.C. and destroyed much of the formerly round island, giving Santorini its current shape. The eruption is believed to have contributed to the decline of the ancient Minoan civilization. Although it's still an active volcano, the last notable eruption occurred in 1950. “What we must realize is that the Santorini volcano produces very large explosions every 20,000 years,” Efthymios Lekkas, seismologist and head of the scientific monitoring committee for the Hellenic Volcanic Arc, said last week. “It’s been 3,000 years since the last explosion, so we have a very long time ahead of us before we face a big explosion.” |
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[98819]
98819
From: ryan, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: Latest quakes near Santorini volcano
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The swarm of earthquakes shaking Santorini prompts Greece to declare an emergency By DEREK GATOPOULOS, Associated PressUpdated Feb 6, 2025 Sun rays illuminate the volcanic islet of Nea Kameni, part of the earthquake-struck island of Santorini, Greece, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.Petros Giannakouris/AP ATHENS, Greece (AP) — 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. Despite causing minimal damage, the earthquake activity has prompted an exodus of thousands of residents and seasonal workers, mostly evacuating to the Greek mainland by ferry. Experts say the seismic activity is unrelated to volcanic activity in the Aegean Sea, but are still unable to say whether the swarm could lead up to a more powerful earthquake. “We are not yet in a position to say that we are seeing any evidence that would lead to the sequence slowly coming to a conclusion,” Vassilis K. Karastathis, a seismologist and director of research at National Observatory of Athens, told reporters. “We are still in the middle of the road, we haven’t seen any easing, any sign that it’s heading towards a regression.” The earthquake epicenters 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 compared to land-based seismic events. On Santorini, municipal crews cordoned off some areas on the island’s renowned cliff top towns that were considered vulnerable to potential rock slides. Crews of engineers also inspected school buildings that have remained closed all week. The island’s Orthodox church has urged residents to assist each other during a time of “great anxiety.” “Island life, intensely communal, has taught us to be close to one another – in the happy, the sad and the difficult times,” the Metropolitan Bishop Amphilochios of Thira, Amorgos and Isles, said in an online message. “This is how we will face the present condition while it lasts," he added. "And by God’s grace we will strengthen ourselves on the path of progress and creation for the good of our islands and their blessed inhabitants, our brothers and sisters.” |
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