![\"Santorini\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.ekathimerini.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/176f5dd6a79ea829cc3e33689c37190d_4563225-1-320x200.jpg\")
Santorini\u2019s recent seismic slowdown has not ended the underlying crisis, scientists say, as new data show persistent deformation across the southern Aegean volcanic arc.<\/p>\n
Seismicity has declined since the February 2025 surge, but \u201chas not returned to pre-crisis levels,\u201d said Margarita Segou of the British Geological Survey. Weekly events above magnitude 2 still do not consistently fall below five. More striking, researchers report accelerating aseismic deformation: The Cyclades are \u201copening\u201d at 17 millimeters per year, up from 3.8.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe area remains highly active,\u201d she said, adding that the mechanism behind last year\u2019s crisis \u201cstill exists.\u201d The deeper causes persist, and scientists cannot predict when slow deformation may turn seismic. Segou likened the process to chocolate: brittle when cold, pliant when warm. She urged faster data analysis, including real-time artificial intelligence, noting that Greece still lacks high-resolution imaging during earthquakes.<\/p>\n
February\u2019s crisis shifted Astypalaia and Naxos by centimeters and sank the Kolumbo seafloor volcano by 19 centimeters. Findings will be presented at the European Geosciences Union conference in Vienna on Tuesday, highlighting the need for sustained monitoring and preparedness across the region.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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