While Türkiye is healing the wounds of the February 6 earthquake, are the tremors in the Aegean Sea a harbinger of a new disaster? While more than 400 earthquakes off the coast of Santorini, Greece, cause concern, the closest tremor to our country’s coast was recorded at a distance of 140 kilometers.
In the last 24 hours, a total of 44 earthquakes occurred, 35 of which were magnitude 3 and 9 of which were magnitude 4. Prof. Dr. Süleyman Pampal made striking warnings in his statement to SABAH. Saying, “An 8.5 magnitude earthquake in the Aegean would not be a surprise!” Pampal also drew attention to the risks of tsunami and volcanic eruptions…
Despite almost 2 years having passed since the great earthquake that struck Türkiye on February 6, 2023, the country has been reawakened by the increasing seismic activity in the Aegean Sea. The great disaster of 2023 caused 53,537 casualties, and now the consecutive earthquakes in the Aegean raise the question of whether they are a harbinger of a new disaster.
The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) announced that the number of earthquakes intensifying in the Aegean Sea since January 28, 2025, has exceeded 400. The largest earthquake recorded so far within the scope of this seismic activity, which developed in the form of an earthquake storm, occurred with a magnitude of 4.8.
While the depth of the earthquakes, which are concentrated approximately 25 kilometers northeast of the Greek island of Santorini, varies between 5 and 25 kilometers, the closest earthquake to our country’s coast was recorded at a distance of 140 kilometers. In the last 24 hours, a total of 44 earthquakes occurred in the Aegean Sea, 35 of which were magnitude 3 and 9 of which were magnitude 4. A similar seismic activity was experienced in the same region in 2011-2012, and the 14-month process did not lead to any volcanic activity.
Gazi University Earthquake Research Center Founding President Prof. Dr. Süleyman Pampal made remarkable assessments to SABAH regarding the reasons behind this activity.
EARTHQUAKES IN THE AEGEAN: A SIGN OF VOLCANIC ACTIVITY?
Prof. Dr. Süleyman Pampal pointed out that the increase in earthquakes in the Aegean Sea may be related to the volcanic and plate movements in the region. Pampal said, “The Aegean is an extremely active region both seismically and volcanically. Especially the Greek island of Santorini is an active volcanic complex, and large eruptions have occurred here in the past. It is known that these eruptions have led to serious tsunami waves and great destruction in Mediterranean history.” Pampal stated that the Kolumbo Submarine Volcano, located 8 kilometers northeast of Santorini Island, is also one of the most active volcanic points in the region, and said, “The increasing seismic activity in the region may be a harbinger of this volcanic activity.”
THE REGION’S SEISMIC ACTIVITY MAY BRING A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE TO THE AGENDA
Prof. Dr. Pampal stated that the region is located on the border of the African plate in the south and the Anatolian plate in the north, and said, “The African plate moves northwestward, separating from the Arabian plate by the East Anatolian and Dead Sea faults, and subducts under Anatolia. This subducting material melts underground, turns into magma, and rises upwards. Most of the islands in the Aegean are volcanic, and active volcanic activities are observed in the region.”