Greek PM Calls for Calm Amid 'Very Intense' Santorini Tremors

A drone view of Oia, on the island of Santorini, Greece, May 7, 2020. (Reuters)
A drone view of Oia, on the island of Santorini, Greece, May 7, 2020. (Reuters)
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Greek PM Calls for Calm Amid 'Very Intense' Santorini Tremors

A drone view of Oia, on the island of Santorini, Greece, May 7, 2020. (Reuters)
A drone view of Oia, on the island of Santorini, Greece, May 7, 2020. (Reuters)

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis appealed for calm Monday after a wave of seismic tremors hit the tourist island of Santorini, prompting hundreds of locals to leave the picturesque spot in the Aegean.  

Speaking from Brussels, Mitsotakis said authorities were monitoring a "very intense" geological phenomenon over recent days, adding: "I want to ask our islanders above all to remain calm."  

Known for its spectacular cliffside views and a dormant volcano, Santorini and neighboring Aegean Sea islands have been hit by hundreds of tremors since last week, the largest with a magnitude of 4.9.  

The neighboring islands of Anafi, Ios and Amorgos have also been affected.

An experts' committee on Monday said some 200 tremors over 3.0 magnitude had been recorded since Saturday.

The committee stressed that the phenomenon was "not linked to volcanic activity."

The quakes prompted authorities to send rescue units to the area and close schools Monday. Some areas have been declared off-limits because of rockslide risks.

On Monday, it was decided to shut schools on the four islands until Friday.  

Britain and France issued travel warnings, urging their nationals to follow the advice of local officials.  

Greek authorities have also asked people to avoid large gatherings in enclosed spaces and stay away from certain ports and derelict buildings. They are also urged the emptying of swimming pools.  

Efthymios Lekkas, president of the Organization of Antiseismic Planning and Protection, told public broadcaster ERT on Monday that there was a "faint possibility of a 5.5-magnitude earthquake", but ruled out one measuring over six.  

Many among Santorini's population of over 15,000 spent the night outdoors, while hundreds of permanent residents are leaving the island by sea and air.  

Kostas Sakavaras, a tourist guide who has lived on the island for 17 years, told AFP he had never experienced this level of seismic activity before.

"It was shaking every three to four hours yesterday. This feels different from the other times," he said.

Sakavaras said he left the island on Sunday with his wife and two children, on a ferry that was full.  

"We plan to stay (on the mainland) until the end of the week. I think it's going to escalate tomorrow and I hope then it will calm down," he said.  

A Greek coastguard source said over a thousand people had left the island by sea on Sunday. Around a thousand more boarded a ferry on Monday evening, AFP reporters said.  

Aegean Airlines, Greece's biggest carrier, said it had dedicated four additional flights to and from Santorini, and two on Tuesday after a request from the country's civil protection ministry.

Operator Sky Express also said it had added two extra flights on Monday and Tuesday.  

Ferry operator Attica Group said it was sending an additional ship late Monday and could contribute more if needed.  

"We are worried, we all want to leave... mainly for the children," said Dimitris Selistai, a 45-year-old laborer queueing outside a ferry ticket office.  

Santorini is among Greece's premier travel destinations, with 3.4 million visitors in 2023.  

European travel agents contacted by AFP said foreign visitors to Santorini at this time of year were minimal, with bookings expected in the spring.



‘Life-Threatening Cold’ Expected as Polar Vortex Stretches across US After Deadly Weekend Flooding

 Portions of Basil Griffin Park in Bowling Green, Ky., Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, sit submerged after heavy rainfall. (Jack Dobbs/Daily News via AP)
Portions of Basil Griffin Park in Bowling Green, Ky., Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, sit submerged after heavy rainfall. (Jack Dobbs/Daily News via AP)
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‘Life-Threatening Cold’ Expected as Polar Vortex Stretches across US After Deadly Weekend Flooding

 Portions of Basil Griffin Park in Bowling Green, Ky., Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, sit submerged after heavy rainfall. (Jack Dobbs/Daily News via AP)
Portions of Basil Griffin Park in Bowling Green, Ky., Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025, sit submerged after heavy rainfall. (Jack Dobbs/Daily News via AP)

Harsh weather moved west on Monday as a polar vortex was expected to grip the Rockies and the northern Plains after winter storms pummeled the eastern US over the weekend, killing at least 10 people, including nine victims in Kentucky who died during flooding from heavy rains.

The National Weather Service warned of “life-threatening cold” into Tuesday, with temperatures in northeastern Montana predicted to dip as low as 45 degrees below zero (-42.7 degrees Celsius) with wind chills down to 60 below (-51 degrees Celsius).

Dangerously cold wind chill temperatures as low as 50 degrees below zero (minus 45.6) were expected in most of North Dakota, which remained under an “extreme cold warning” along with large swaths of South Dakota and Minnesota, according to the weather service.

Meteorologists said several states would experience the 10th and coldest polar vortex event this season. Weather forces in the Arctic are combining to push the chilly air that usually stays near the North Pole into the US and Europe.

Kentucky, Appalachia battered by flooding

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced Sunday that the death toll in his state had risen to nine and at least 1,000 people stranded by floods had to be rescued. President Donald Trump approved Kentucky's request for a disaster declaration, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate relief efforts throughout the state.

In Atlanta, a person was killed when a large tree fell on a home early Sunday, raising the overall death toll from harsh weather to 10.

Parts of Kentucky and Tennessee received up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) of rain, Bob Oravec, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service, said Sunday.

Water submerged cars and buildings in Kentucky and mudslides blocked roads in Virginia over the weekend. Flood warnings extended throughout Tennessee and Arkansas.

In West Virginia, 13 southern counties were under a state of emergency for flooding and some areas were cut off to vehicle traffic Sunday. Several volunteer fire departments dealt with flooding in their own buildings while answering rescue and evacuation calls.

Rockies, Midwest, Northeast hit with snow storms

Ice and snow made road travel treacherous in large swaths of Michigan, which remained under a winter weather advisory until Monday afternoon. Michigan State Police reported 114 crashes Sunday around the Detroit area since snow started falling Saturday.

“Fortunately, most were one-car spin outs and there were no serious injuries,” Michigan State Police said on X.

Authorities in Colorado reported eight people were killed in fatal vehicle crashes since Valentine’s Day and warned drivers to be cautious as the weather made driving more difficult. The causes of the fatal crashes weren’t immediately known.

Also in Colorado, three state patrol cruisers that had pulled over along roadsides were struck by other vehicles, including one on Sunday where a trooper had stopped as officials prepared to close a road because of ice. In each case the troopers were out of their cruisers at the time and were uninjured.

Avalanche warnings were issued for numerous areas of the Rocky Mountains stretching from Colorado to Washington state, with the danger rated highest in Utah.

Part of Detroit is submerged in water after pipe burst

Parts of a southwest Detroit neighborhood are submerged after a nearly century-old water main burst early Monday.

The 54-inch (137-centimeter) transmission main was built in 1930 and has left several feet of water over streets, sidewalks and yards, according to the Great Lakes Water Authority.

Crews and contractors were in the area attempting to isolate the break. It was not clear what caused the main to burst, but temperatures late Sunday into Monday morning were well below zero degrees Fahrenheit (minus 17 degrees C).

No injuries have been reported. Firefighters used a ladder to help one person from the roof of a car in waist-deep water and a bulldozer was used to navigate a flooded street and help people leave a home, according to the fire department.

Mayor Mike Duggan says people impacted by the flooding can shelter in place if they have power and feel safe. Those who want to leave can call 911 and fire crews will help them from their homes and take them to a temporary shelter.

Avalanche warnings for Rockies and elsewhere

Avalanche warnings were issued for numerous areas of the Rocky Mountains stretching from Colorado to Washington state, with the danger rated highest in Utah.

The Mount Washington Avalanche Center issued an avalanche warning Monday for several places in the White Mountains — including Tuckerman Ravine, Gulf of Slides, Huntington Ravine, and Great Gulf — in the state of New Hampshire.

Two ice climbers were rescued in the White Mountains on Sunday after they triggered an avalanche and one of them became partially buried in the snow, the New Hampshire Fish and Game said in a statement.