Scientists solve mystery of more than 28,000 earthquakes in Santorini - Underwater volcano was...
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Scientists solve mystery of more than 28,000 earthquakes in Santorini - Underwater volcano was...")
Santorini was hit by more than 28,000 earthquakes in early 2025.
Santorini was rocked by thousands of earthquakes earlier this year. Scientists knew the seismic activity could also be triggered by an underwater volcano. Their hunch was right.
The Greek island of Santorini was shaken by thousands of earthquakes at the beginning of this year. Scientists started digging to find out what caused these tremors in the region. Now they have published a comprehensive analysis of the seismic crisis in the journal Nature, detailing what went on on the island. They gathered data from earthquake stations and instruments deployed at the Kolumbo underwater volcano, seven kilometres away from Santorini. Earthquakes were located using AI, and it uncovered shocking occurrences. The reconstruction of the scene showed that around 300 million cubic meters of magma rose from the deep crust, and this resulted in the tremors felt in Santorini. This magma came to rest at a depth of around four kilometres below the ocean floor. Santorini is located in a highly active geological zone, the Hellenic volcanic arc. This group of islands forms the rim of a caldera, which was formed following a massive volcanic eruption around 3,600 years ago.
Dr Marius Isken, geophysicist at the GFZ and one of the two lead authors of the study, says, "The seismic activity was typical of magma ascending through Earth's crust. The migrating magma breaks the rock and forms pathways, which causes intense earthquake activity. Our analysis enabled us to trace the path and dynamics of the magma ascent with a high degree of accuracy."
The region is crossed by several active geological fault zones, along with the presence of the active underwater volcano Kolumbo. The shifting of microplates beneath the Mediterranean formed as a result of Earth's crust breaking apart, besides the subducting and melting triggers volcanic activity in the area. Santorini has witnessed several volcanic eruptions in the past. Also Read: Baba Vanga 2026 predictions: World War, earthquakes, rise of AI and alien visit
Two earthquakes, 13 minutes apart hit Santorini
Two severe earthquakes also struck the region between the southern Aegean Sea and the neighbouring island of Amorgos in 1956 within a span of 13 minutes. Both were equally massive, measuring 7.4 and 7.2 on the Richter Scale. This activity also generated a tsunami. When the region again witnessed a swarm of earthquakes in 2025, people got worried. More than 28,000 earthquakes were recorded during this time.
The research into the origins of these earthquakes showed that these tremors were recorded in the same region as the 1956 quakes. Solving the mystery, scientists say that the deep transport of magma caused the earthquakes, with the process kickstarting in July 2024. At this time, the magma rose into a shallow reservoir beneath Santorini. This lifted Santorini up by a few centimetres. In January this year, magma began to rise from the depths along with seismic activity. The centre point of the quakes moved in several pulses from a depth of 18 kilometres upwards to a depth of only 3 kilometres below the seafloor.
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