Greek seismologist hopes Kolumbo volcano magma rise moderate, not violent

Seismic tremors continue to rattle the waters between Santorini, Ios, Amorgos, and Anafi, in the Cyclades, raising concerns about the Kolumbo submarine volcano. Despite a noticeable decline in the intensity of quakes over the past two days, prominent Greek seismologist Akis Tselentis urges caution, warning that seismic activity remains ongoing.

Tselentis, who resigned from Greece’s earthquake risk assessment board, citing political interference in scientific work, last week, addressed the situation in a social media update on Sunday morning, accompanied by scientific data visualizations.

He emphasized the need for an open-minded approach in science, advocating for broad perspectives and creative thinking rather than rigid dogma.

While recent tremors have been less perceptible, Tselentis clarified that seismic activity continues at lower magnitudes, while shared recorded seismicity data from the past 24 hours, underlining the importance of ongoing monitoring.

In his message, the professor also responded to premature claims by business owners and politicians suggesting that the crisis had passed and tourism could proceed unaffected. He cautioned against drawing hasty conclusions and reiterated the need for continued precautionary measures.

Looking ahead, the seismologist stressed that there is still a long way to go in understanding the evolving situation.

Current data indicate that Santorini’s two major volcanic systems, Nea Kameni and Kolumbo, have not yet been activated.

However, magma movement beneath the surface suggests increasing pressure, with uncertainty over whether it will erupt through a new vent near the uninhabited islet of Anydro, which lies 20 nautical miles northeast of Santorini, or from the underwater volcano of Kolumbo itself, Tselentis explained.

He also speculated on whether recent volcanic eruptions in Italy—namely Etna and Stromboli—could help relieve geological pressure in the broader region.

As a final note, he expressed hope that any potential lava flow in the coming weeks would be mild rather than explosive, whether it occurs at Kolumbo or to the northeast near Anydro.

“A further concern is the Amorgos fault, which triggered the devastating 1956 earthquake. While seismic activity has significantly declined, the possibility of a tectonic event around magnitude 6.0 remains on the table and must not be overlooked,” he warned.

Source: Tovima.com