Earthquake in Greece: Is a tsunami threatened for vacationers now?

Earthquake in Greece: Is a tsunami threatened for vacationers now?

A strong earthquake of the strength 6.1 shaked the region north of the Greek island of Crete on Thursday morning. These earthquakes were felt in Cyprus even over 700 kilometers away. The fear of a possible tsunami that could hit the coasts of the respective islands stirs up the concerns of vacationers. As is well known, Greece is located in one of the most active earthquake areas in Europe, where the African and the Eurasian earth plate meet.

Since the end of January, thousands of smaller shocks around Santorini and the surrounding islands have been registered. The strongest quake at this time also had a thickness of 6.1 and took place only a few kilometers away. According to the earthquake scale, strong earthquakes within a radius of up to 70 kilometers can cause destruction. Dr. Marco Pilz from the Potsdam GeoForschungszentrum explains that an increased hazard is observed in the Mediterranean, especially in the areas classified as "deep red", where the probability of a strong earthquake over the next 50 years is one to ten.

travel recommendations and safety instructions

The Federal Foreign Office has so far not published any official travel instructions. However, travelers should take a closer look at the current information from the Greek authorities, especially on the islands of Crete, Casos and Karpathos. Vacationers who voluntarily cancel their vacation must expect the risk of not receiving compensation. It is recommended to subscribe to a newsletter or the app "Travel safely" and register in the crisis list list in order to be well informed in an emergency.

Furthermore, important behavioral instructions must be observed. Between April and November there is a large number of pickpockets, especially between April and November in the larger cities such as Athens, Thessaloniki and Piraeus. Drivers should be aware that traffic disabilities are possible through strikes, and strict fines for traffic offenses apply. Motorists are advised to be careful, especially when driving quad vehicles, and the alcohol limit of 0.5.

health and travel information

Health aspects should also be taken into account. No mandatory vaccinations are required for entry, but travel vaccinations against hepatitis A should be recommended. Vulnerable groups in particular should exercise caution in heat waves with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. Medical care on the mainland of Greek is good, while it can often be poor on the islands. Vacationers should therefore rely on the European health insurance card.

The use of euros as a means of payment as well as the widespread acceptance of credit cards and ATMs are advantageous for travelers. Travelers should find out about the entry requirements for goods and plants, since the possession of drugs in Greece is punished hard. The import of pets also requires an EU petrol card.

Overall, travelers are called up to prepare well for their stay in Greece and to keep an eye on the security situation, especially in the current earthquake and volcanic risk. The official site of the Foreign Office and Image offer detailed information and current updates.