ATHENS, Greece (AP) 鈥� Greece鈥檚 government declared a state of emergency on on Thursday after hundreds of undersea earthquakes shook the resort island for nearly a week.
The ministry of civil protection鈥檚 announcement will provide authorities faster access to state resources. It follows a magnitude 5.2 tremor 鈥�- the most powerful recorded since activity started on Jan. 31 鈥�- that struck late Wednesday.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis confirmed that multiple emergency services were already mobilized to support the island.
鈥淔ire departments, police, coast guard, armed forces, and emergency medical services have immediately reinforced Santorini and surrounding islands with additional personnel and specialized equipment,鈥� he told reporters.
Despite causing minimal damage, the earthquake activity has of thousands of residents and seasonal workers, mostly evacuating to the Greek mainland by ferry.
Experts say the 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.
鈥淲e 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,鈥� Vassilis K. Karastathis, a seismologist and director of research at National Observatory of Athens, told reporters. 鈥淲e are still in the middle of the road, we haven鈥檛 seen any easing, any sign that it鈥檚 heading towards a regression.鈥�
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鈥檚 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鈥檚 Orthodox church has urged residents to assist each other during a time of 鈥済reat anxiety.鈥�
鈥淚sland life, intensely communal, has taught us to be close to one another 鈥� in the happy, the sad and the difficult times,鈥� the Metropolitan Bishop Amphilochios of Thira, Amorgos and Isles, said in an online message.
鈥淭his is how we will face the present condition while it lasts," he added. "And by God鈥檚 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.鈥�
Derek Gatopoulos, The Associated Press
