Thousands of residents are fleeing Santorini after hundreds of earthquakes were recorded near the Greek island in the last 48 hours.
About 9,000 people have left the island since Sunday, with additional emergency flights scheduled to leave on Tuesday.
More than 300 earthquakes have been recorded in the past two days near the island, and some experts say tremors could continue for weeks. Authorities have closed schools and warned against large indoor gatherings, but Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has urged calm.
Santorini is a popular tourist destination but most of those leaving are locals, as February is outside the peak tourist season.
Dozens of tremors have been recorded in the Aegean Sea north-east of Santorini so far on Tuesday, with a large earthquake measuring magnitude 5 striking mid-afternoon.
Several days of continuous seismic activity has led some residents to sleep in their cars – afraid to spend the night in their homes in case walls or ceilings cave in.
No major damage has been reported on the island so far, but emergency measures are being taken as a precaution.
Hundreds of people queued at a port in the early hours of Tuesday morning to board a ferry leaving for the mainland.
Local media reports around 6,000 people have left the island by ferry since Sunday, and a further 2,500 to 2,700 passengers will have flown from Santorini to Athens via plane on Monday and Tuesday, according to Aegean Airlines.
In recent days, an estimated 9,000 people in total have fled Santorini – a small island with a population of just 15,500.
The island welcomes millions of tourists annually, but bookings this time of year are minimal, so local residents and workers make up the majority of evacuees.
