Geologist to the "Krone":

“Quakes in Greece could last for months”

Since January 26, more than 2,300 earthquakes have been recorded on Santorini and the surrounding regions - a number that surprises even experienced experts. "The intensity and frequency of the quakes are extraordinary, but not without historical parallels," explains GeoSphere geologist Helmut Hausmann in an interview.

"Krone": How do you interpret the unusually high number of over 2,300 registered earthquakes since January 26, 2025? Are there historical parallels in the region?
Helmut Hausmann: Stronger earthquakes and earthquake swarms over several months are nothing unusual in this region. In this case, the intensity and strength of the earthquakes have been increasing since January 27. The population of Santorini constantly feels the tremors from quakes whose epicenters are located around ten to 30 kilometers northeast of the island. There is great uncertainty, especially in connection with a possible tsunami (as in the strong earthquake of 1956 with a magnitude of 7.7 south of the island of Amorgos). A possible underwater eruption of the Kolumbos volcano north of Santorini, as in 1650 AD, would also be dangerous. The strongest quakes of the last few days reached magnitudes of over 5.0 and were felt around 300 kilometers away, including as far as Athens and Izmir.