Near 600 earthquakes recorded in Aegean Sea in one week

Since Jan. 28, at least 570 earthquakes have been recorded in the Aegean Sea while Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) described the seismic activity in the region as an "earthquake swarm."

Monday February 03 2025 10:56 pm

Duvar English

Since Jan. 28, nearly 600 earthquakes have occurred in the Aegean Sea, and Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) stated that the closest earthquake to Turkish territories took place 140 kilometers away.

The earthquakes near Santorini Island have been varying in depth between 5 and 25 kilometers.

According to AFAD's update on Feb. 3, the largest earthquake recorded in the region recently had a magnitude of 4.8. The institution described the seismic activity in the region as an "earthquake swarm."

Ege Denizi’nde, 28 Ocak 2025 tarihinden itibaren yoğunlaşmaya başlayan depremlerin sayısı an itibarıyla 4️⃣0️⃣0️⃣’ün üzerine çıkmıştır.

▪️ Deprem fırtınası şeklinde gelişen bu aktivite sonucunda şu ana kadar kaydedilen en büyük deprem 4.8 Mw büyüklüğündedir.

▪️ Depremler,… pic.twitter.com/9gKX5gp0AC
— AFAD (@AFADBaskanlik) February 2, 2025

Due to the threat of landslides and other emergencies on Santorini and the surrounding islands, the Greek government has had to increase its safety measures and shut down the schools.

AFAD reminded that similar intense seismic activity was observed in the same region between 2011 and 2012, stating, "This activity, which lasted for 14 months, did not lead to any volcanic activity."

Santorini, where the earthquakes have been occurring, is part of the volcanic island chain known as the Helen Ridge. In this region, a major earthquake in 1956 resulted in a tsunami and killed dozens of people.

The closest point of the island to Turkey is approximately 170 kilometers away from the coast of Bodrum in Aegean Muğla province.

Aegean İzmir province’s governor Süleyman Elban on Feb. 3 made a statement on X and stated, "The possibilities of earthquakes, volcanic activity, and tsunamis are being scientifically monitored. It is strongly advised not to give credence to misinformation circulating on social media and to only follow official sources. Developments are being closely monitored, and regular updates will be provided to the public."

Kamuoyuna saygıyla duyurulur. pic.twitter.com/R0SNhq2CJ7
— Dr. Süleyman Elban (@drsuleymanelban) February 3, 2025