A state of emergency has been declared in Santorini following the most significant earthquake recorded in a series of persistent tremors, which have substantially reduced the number of visitors and residents in this renowned Greek tourist destination.

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurred on Wednesday evening, marking the first seismic event to exceed a magnitude of 5.0 since the onset of tremors the previous week.

On Thursday, the Greek Civil Protection Ministry instituted a state of emergency on the island, effective until March 3, to facilitate a response to the ongoing seismic activity.

Approximately 11,000 individuals are believed to have evacuated the island, which attracts over 3.4 million tourists annually and is home to approximately 20,000 permanent residents.

In response to the situation, Greek authorities have organized additional flights to assist individuals in reaching the safety of the mainland.

However, evacuation efforts encountered complications on Wednesday due to high winds, which prevented ferries from departing the ports. By Thursday, normal ferry services had resumed.

Situated near the junction of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, Santorini is prone to seismic activity, although it rarely experiences such prolonged intensity.

In addition to Santorini, nearby islands, including Amorgos and Ios, have also felt the effects of these tremors.

“We are going to leave because I am afraid, there are constantly earthquakes, we have to leave for the kids, so the kids can calm down,” said Beni Ouklala, 38, who has temporary work on the island.

Others were unfazed. “We will stay here, why should we leave? If something happens it happens,” said Eftichis Diamantopouulos, 63, a tourist boat captain.

Santorini throngs with hundreds of thousands of tourists in the summer.

It is much quieter at this time of the year, but with seismologists estimating that the intense seismic activity could take days or weeks to abate, local authorities have drafted an emergency accommodation plan.