Experts expect a larger quake but are unable to determine when.
Tourists and residents are fleeing the Greek island of Santorini after a series of earthquakes lasting for more than a week. More than 7,700 earthquakes–and 800 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or higher–have shaken four islands in the Cyclades island group since February 1. The tremors have been reported on Amorgos, Anafi, Ios, and Santorini, the last of which is one of Greece’s most popular tourist destinations.
No major damage to structures or injuries have been reported on Santorini, but the Greek government has issued an emergency declaration, which will be in effect until March 3. Schools in Santorini, Paros, Naxos, and Mykonos will be closed through February 14. Emergency declarations waive many bureaucratic requirements for repairing roads and ports, allowing the island to return affected areas to service more quickly.
The government has also sent backup generators and emergency telecommunications stations to have them ready in the event services are impacted by a future tremor. Medical personnel, first responders, police officers, and soldiers have also been sent to the islands to wait on standby should a larger earthquake cause greater impacts.
Some experts expect a larger quake but are unable to determine when. Tsunamis caused by smaller quakes—most of which have been under the Aegean Sea—are also a source of concern. Seismologists generally can’t predict when an earthquake will occur, or what magnitude it will be, but experts have been estimating that current seismic activity in the region could last for weeks or months, which could impact the upcoming summer tourist season peak.
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It’s currently low season in Santorini, and most of the 11,000 people who have left the island are residents, but should travelers with upcoming plans cancel them?
Should You Cancel Your Trip to Santorini?
Those with travel plans to Santorini and other affected islands should check with their tour operator or accommodations to determine whether they plan to operate or be open during their stay dates. Many tourism businesses have closed for the duration of the government’s emergency declaration, and these providers should offer refunds for any prepaid services.
Travelers with travel insurance should check with their providers to see exactly what circumstances in their policy will qualify for refunds.
The global insurance provider Allianz added the Santorini earthquakes to their coverage alerts on February 5, meaning insurance policies purchased after that date would not cover earthquake-related cancellations, because they were no longer an unforeseen event. Travelers who purchased policies before that date, however, are generally eligible for refunds if their lodgings are closed or a destination is inaccessible because of a government emergency declaration of evacuation order.
For travelers without travel insurance, it gets trickier. Generally speaking, operators and accommodations who are unable to provide prepaid products should refund them, but some may not. Travelers who have difficulty obtaining refunds can also dispute the charges with their credit card issuers.
Travelers who intend to visit Santorini onboard a cruise could have their itineraries altered if the cruise lines determine their experience will be impacted. Cruise lines sometimes skip scheduled port calls at Santorini under normal circumstances if high winds, rough surf, or other conditions will prevent them from safely shutting passengers to the island onboard smaller tender boats. Rough weather has hampered evacuations by sea in the days following the government’s emergency declaration.
Santorini in particular is prone to rock slides. The scenic island is the remains of a volcanic caldera that collapsed into the Aegean during a violent eruption around 1600 B.C.E. Most of the island’s settlements are built into rock cliffs high above a lagoon that filled in the sunken crater.
The island, along with Mykonos, was in the spotlight last summer as part of the local and national government’s efforts to combat overtourism. Calling summer 2024 the “worst season ever,” officials moved to cap passenger levels and levy a tourism tax on cruise ship visitors. Visitors and day trippers flooded into the island to take pictures of its scenic vistas, particularly from the village of Oia, but hotel occupancy on the island—where rates at many luxury hotels routinely exceed €1,000 per night during the peak season—was down significantly.
