Earthquake in the Mediterranean: How to protect yourself on summer vacation!

Earthquake in the Mediterranean: How to protect yourself on summer vacation!

Santorin, Griechenland - The Mediterranean, a popular holiday destination for many travelers, is currently exposed to increased earthquake activity. An alarming series of earthquakes took place in particular on the Greek holiday island of Santorin. The strongest quake with a magnitude of 5.3 was registered on Monday evening. Between Monday and Tuesday, seismic observation points counted over 120 earthquakes, which corresponds to average five quakes per hour. Experts like seismologist Vassilis Karastathis warn of the possibility of greater earthquake and potential volcanic activities. The Greek government has now declared the emergency for Santorin to be able to take the necessary measures, and more than two thirds of the 16,000 inhabitants have already left the island.

These developments come at a time when other regions of the Mediterranean, such as Naples and Sicily, are affected by earthquakes. These seismic activities are the result of the interaction between the African and the Eurasian continental plate, which constantly move under the surface. Christoph Helo from the Institute for Geosciences describes the seismic activity in the Mediterranean as normal, but warns of the "unusual features" of the latest quakes around Santorin. Experts suspect that the causes of the earthquakes are in flat -tectonic changes or in volcanic systems, with Christian Hübscher from the University of Hamburg that the volcano Santorin and Columbo reports [rnd].

general earthquake risks in the Mediterranean area

As already stated by [FNP], the Mediterranean is a seismic active zone that regularly experiences earthquakes. Countries such as Italy, Greece, Turkey, Spain and Portugal are particularly affected. Seismologist Heiner Igel from the LMU Munich emphasizes that earthquakes are not predictable. He draws attention to the fact that even in regions with long phases of rest, earthquakes can suddenly occur. This increases the need to find out about possible risks of the holiday destination.

There are essential recommendations for travelers to act correctly in the event of an earthquake. This includes finding out about the specific earthquake risk of the selected holiday destination and taking into account the advice of the Federal Foreign Office and the national earthworks services. In the event of an earthquake, it is important to keep calm and to quickly search for protection by positioning yourself under stable furniture such as massive tables or positioning yourself in a reinforced door frame. Stairs, windows and elevators should be avoided during an earthquake. It is important outdoors to keep a distance from buildings, trees and power lines and to take a space in a free area [FNP].

preparation and protection for travelers

Before a trip to an earthquake area is booked, it is advisable to ask about the emergency plans of the travel providers and hotels. It can also make sense to take out special travel insurance for earthquake damage. Despite the risks, the likelihood of being affected by a severe earthquake as a tourist is relatively low. Nevertheless, good preparation and correct behavior can significantly reduce the risk in an emergency [FNP].