Santorini Earthquake Related Question

In my opinion no one is going to be able to answer your questions in regards to the earthquakes with any type of certainty.

Go ahead as planned but keep checking for up to date information and be ready to adjust if needed. You are six months out from your trip so you have time to look at potential alternatives. The website www.keeptalkinggreece.com is an English language site with up to date info. Sounds like seismologists from all over have descended on the Island so the situation is well monitored.

Do you think this is something to be concerned this far away from the trip?

Have you made (Non-fundable/unchangeable) reservations yet? If not, anything you make should have favorable cancellation policy

Do you think by then these Earthquakes may have subsided?

Probably .... OR a big one could happen and turn a lot of structures into rubble. The scientists/experts will not say either has a zero chance. Earthquakes are like trying to predict exactly when a light bulb will fail. Its not a hurricane you can track.

Any plans you make show have a no pain cancellation policy

In my unqualified opinion I think they will subside by August . However it wouldn't hurt to have a plan B!

I suggest booking lodging on Santorini that can be cancelled without penalty up until late July. I know people criticize double booking, but I would also book lodging somewhere else with the same cancellation window. Then when it gets close, pick one and cancel the other. Of course, if you’re planning to fly to Santorini you may not get a refund on the airfare, but if you can take the ferry then I think you can delay purchasing that ticket. Good luck!

I will be in the Greek islands in about 3 months, the flights are booked, I am currently finalizing the accommodation reservations without taking into account the current situation. But I read the press daily to know the evolution of the situation.

The only times I had to cancel a trip at the last minute no dangerous event was conceivable or possible in Greece, but I had an unforeseen event that occurred 20 kilometers from my home.
Another time nothing was planned either in Greece or in the world... and then there was Covid.

I could also have a serious car accident tomorrow.

So if the unexpected can happen ... I bet on the improbable.

So from what I gather, the best approach is to plan but not panic. Have a strategy for worse case scenario. I can speak to my mother about how she feels about double booking. I don't want to tell her yet because we still don't know enough about the situation. I notice a lot of the news out there I think is fear mongering and is trying to make people scared, earth quakes are serious but I see many things are being stretched. However, as this is a serious matter for public safety its important to take the necessary precautions. I will most likely brief her on the situation, by the end of March and between now and then I will do my research on the other island considerations. Do you think waiting the last 4 months is a bit too late for booking Santorini?

My back up islands would be Mykonos or Milos.
We are going to Paros the first few days.

Just so you know , I have no problem
With double booking - but I wouldn’t hang on to both for months and months . I’d want to cancel one by July .
I think it’s prudent to also book on another island - I’d suggest naxos .

We aren't going until October, so fortunately have lots of time for things to settle down.

I already have cancellable bookings in both Santorini and Naxos, well cancellable until three weeks before, so I will just be watching the situation.

My concern is that if things go really badly, it will probably affect Naxos too as it really isn't that far away. Do any Greek experts agree with this?

We were thinking of a back up of something completely different like Corfu. Our trip starts in Athens for four nights, then was four in Naxos, three in Santorini, ending the five in Rhodes then onto Istanbul. Our back up might be to add a night or two to Athens, do Corfu for four or five nights, then fly to Rhodes as is currently planned.

Without being an expert, historically major earthquakes with volcanic eruption have caused tsunamis throughout the Aegean Sea with destruction from Crete to the Turkish coast. The entire region and part of Europe was exposed to the toxic downfall of volcanic ash. The last time around 1600 BC, which was called the Minoan eruption.

Statistically there is a much greater probability that your flight will crash or that you will have a serious domestic accident at home than to experience this event.

To stay informed with the latest news from the Greek press (in English):

https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/

Slight diversion on topic, but I just heard that currently at least one cruise line has dropped Santorini due to safety concerns.

Hi Everyone! We have most likely decided that we will do double booking. Most likely choosing Naxos as the alternative, seeing that Paros will be our first island. So if not Santorini we will spend 3 nights on Paros, 3 nights Naxos with a day trip to Mykonos while we are in Naxos. after Naxos we will fly back to Athens. I don't know how this will hold up because supposedly if the earthquake does happen it can affect Naxos. What are you thoughts? Thanks.

We are in the same boat with bookings in both Naxos and Santorini.

I suspect that if things get bad enough that we need to cancel Santorini, we may well need to cancel Naxos too.

We aren't going until October, so we have many months. We plan to just watch and wait and make a decision in September.

I think everybody is worrying too much. In my opinion there's no reason to be concerned. There haven't been any big earthquakes greater than 5 , and the small tremors noticed in early February have already lessened. Right now, there are visitors in Santorini. There's no proof that a major earthquake is about to happen, and it certainly won't affect your time in Naxos or even in Santorini. I know reports sound scary, but they're probably exaggerated. Remember, the media often makes things sound worse than they are. Thankfully, we have the internet to give us accurate and current information.

I just want to point out something—Greece is a seismically active country, and new construction is heavily regulated under the Eurocode. We build with reinforced concrete, designed so that even if a structure is damaged, it won’t collapse. Additionally, almost all buildings here are only two stories high.

The main concern isn’t that the entire island will be destroyed, but rather the possibility of landslides, especially on the caldera side, and potential damage to the ports in that area. As long as you book a newer hotel, ideally set back from the very edge of the caldera, you’ll be perfectly fine—even in the event of a major earthquake.