Santorini Volcano Returns to Dormant State

by Ioanna Zikakou - May 3, 2015

After three years of increased activity the volcano on the Greek island of Santorini has returned to its dormant state, according to the newspaper Kathimerini.

Experts from the Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration (IGME) spoke with the Greek newspaper after their annual inspection of the Santorini volcano, noting that the seismic activity and physicochemical parameters have returned to normal levels, while the changes to the volcano's rim have stopped. Furthermore, they added that the repercussion of a possible eruption would not be as horrible as everyone believes.

"We know that even if there was an eruption in 2011, it would be a perfectly manageable situation, similar to that of 1925-1926," said Giorgos Vougiouklakis, a scientist at IGME.

"Volcanoes always give you a warning. If the volcano is systematically monitored and the state is well-prepared, an eruption could even work as a magnet for tourists. This is the sort of situation we are talking about, so let's not engage in scaremongering."

Santorini is the most active volcanic centre in the South Aegean Volcanic Arc, though what remains today is chiefly a water-filled caldera. The volcanic arc is approximately 500 km long and 20 to 40 km wide. The region first became volcanically active around 3–4 million years ago.

The island is the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history: the Minoan eruption, which occurred some 3600 years ago at the height of the Minoan civilization. The eruption left a large caldera surrounded by volcanic ash deposits hundreds of meters deep and may have led indirectly to the collapse of the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete, through a gigantic tsunami. Another popular theory holds that the Minoan eruption is the source of the legend of Atlantis.

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