The beauty of the Greek island of Santorini is actually the result of the area’s violent volcanic history and was created by one of the largest known eruptions some 3,600 years ago.
Geologists warn that it is only a matter of time before a major eruption strikes again.
Meanwhile, in 2020, the Greek civil defense agency has already unveiled a 185-page plan to deal with the consequences of possible volcanic activity in Santorini, according to Sky TG24.
Santorini is part of the Helen Volcanic Arc, one of the most important volcanic fields in Europe, which has seen over 100 eruptions in the last 400,000 years. The eastern Mediterranean’s most active and potentially dangerous underwater volcano, Columbo, is located just five miles northeast of the island.
Immersed in the Aegean Sea, Columbus has been silent for almost 400 years, but he does not sleep. The last time it erupted, in 1650, it killed 70 people and caused a tsunami. Strong earthquakes and aftershocks were recorded, along with toxic gases and smoke.
Scientists know that the Columbus eruption can cause serious damage, so monitoring has increased over the past 20 years.