More than 11,000 residents and tourists have fled Santorini, prompting airlines to add extra flights to facilitate evacuations.

The island will remain under a state of emergency until at least March 3. In response, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has allocated £2.5 million for the construction of an emergency evacuation route connecting the southern part of the island.

“We are preparing for the worst while hoping for the best,” he reassured locals during his visit on Friday.

Authorities have urged people to steer clear of ports and avoid gathering indoors as emergency teams—including the army, fire service, and police—work across the island.

With tremors now occurring almost every minute, fear has gripped those who remain. Many have resorted to sleeping outside on mattresses, too afraid to stay in their homes due to the risk of collapse.

Meanwhile, some residents have taken matters into their own hands, building makeshift tsunami barriers out of sandbags along Monolithos Beach, where structures sit precariously close to the shoreline.

Authorities even urged hotel owners to drain their pools, fearing that excess water could weaken building foundations in the event of an earthquake.

Despite the concerns, no casualties or significant damage have been reported so far.

Seismologists attribute the tremors to shifts in tectonic plates rather than volcanic activity, even though Santorini lies on the Hellenic Volcanic Arc—a chain of islands shaped by ancient eruptions.

Experts warn that the island is experiencing a “seismic crisis” with no clear resolution in sight, sparking fears that a more powerful and destructive quake could strike in the coming days.