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.
