Santorini Island

PRELIMS BITS 

Background: Santorini, a renowned Greek island, has been put on high alert following the occurrence of over 200 undersea earthquakes in just four days, with magnitudes reaching up to 4.6.

Geographical Overview of Santorini Island

• Location: Situated in the Southern Aegean Sea, Santorini is part of the Cyclades archipelago in Greece.
• Governance: It is controlled by Greece and is part of the Thira regional unit.

Volcanic Activity

• Santorini Caldera: The island is home to the Santorini Caldera, one of the most active volcanic centers in the South Aegean Volcanic Arc.
• Nearby Volcanoes: Nea Kameni and Palaia Kameni are uninhabited islands within the caldera, known for their volcanic activity.
• Historical Eruption: Santorini is historically famous for the Minoan eruption, which occurred approximately 3,600 years ago and is considered one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history.

Tectonic Features

• Tectonic Plates: Santorini lies close to the boundary where the African Plate converges with the Aegean Sea Plate, making the region highly active in terms of seismic events due to tectonic subduction and movements.