Santorini Faces Earthquake Swarm, Schools Closed and Evacuations Underway

A 38-year-old woman died in Thessaloniki, Greece, after an explosive device she was carrying detonated in her hands early Saturday morning. According to police, she intended to place the bomb outside a nearby bank around 5 AM. The explosion caused damage to several storefronts and vehicles in the vicinity. A senior police official indicated that the woman seemed to be attempting to plant the device at an ATM when the incident occurred. "Something went wrong and it exploded in her hands," the official told Reuters. Authorities revealed that the woman was already known to them for her alleged involvement in several robberies and are investigating potential connections to extreme left-wing groups. This incident underscores ongoing concerns regarding public safety and the activities of such groups in Greece. As the investigation unfolds, further details are expected to emerge about the woman's background and motives.

Lola Hassid Angel, an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor, spoke out about her harrowing experiences as the world commemorates the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen on April 15, 1945. Speaking from her home in Athens, Angel recounted the suffering she witnessed in the Nazi concentration camp, where disease and hunger claimed countless lives. “What happened there was an abomination,” she stated, recalling the conditions that contributed to the deaths of over 70,000 victims. Bergen-Belsen, liberated by British forces, was notorious for its appalling conditions that deemed it a death camp through starvation and illness. According to historical accounts, approximately 60,000 prisoners were found at the camp, with over 14,000 succumbing to illness shortly after liberation. Angel, forced into the camp from Athens in 1944, emphasized the need to remember the horror to prevent history from repeating itself. In her quest for remembrance, Angel has been actively speaking to students in Greece about the Holocaust, aiming to invoke a sense of awareness and vigilance against the resurgence of hatred and war. “My big fear is if another Hitler comes along,” she cautioned.

Authorities in Greece have declared a state of emergency on Amorgos Island as a series of earthquakes continue to affect the region. This comes just days after a similar declaration for Santorini on February 7, following thousands of unusual tremors near these popular tourist destinations. The University of Athens’ crisis management committee reports that approximately 12,000 earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 1 have been detected since January 26, with recent quakes reaching magnitudes around 5. Seismologists indicated that the epicenter of the quakes is gradually shifting northward towards Amorgos, raising concerns for local residents and emergency services. A significant mobilization of resources, including police, fire departments, and coast guard, is underway, primarily focused on Santorini where many residents and seasonal workers have evacuated. Greece's geographical location makes it prone to seismic activity, but such an intense and prolonged sequence of quakes is unusual, according to experts.