Greek earthquakes: Expert warns volcano in Nea Kameni islet in Aegean Sea activated

A leading Greek seismologist warned that the volcano in Nea Kameni islet in the Aegean Sea has been activated since late January.

Speaking to the In.gr news outlet, Panagiotis Papadimitriou, an emeritus professor of seismology at the University of Athens, said the activation so far hasn't led to seismic activity, but the scientists remain on yellow alert.

According to him, the seismic activity in the area of Santorini will either weaken or lead to an earthquake of 6 to 6.3 magnitude on the Richter scale, which is not forecasted to cause a serious impact on the surrounding islands as the distance from the epicenter will be over 20 kilometers (12.4 miles).

"This would accelerate the completion of the seismic sequence," he added.

The small volcanic island of Santorini is one of Greece's most popular tourist attractions, with an estimated 3.4 million tourists visiting annually.

On Feb. 6, Greek authorities declared a state of emergency for the island until March 3 due to a surge in seismic activity.