
In Santorini, where the earth never stops shaking, some people chose to stay on the island. Despite the uncertainties, these people have chosen to continue their lives there.
On an island hit by unprecedented seismic storms, these are the people who stand their ground, insisting that life doesn't stop because the earth shakes.
Xheni Baja, 20, works as a receptionist at De Sol, winter and summer. She had the choice of leaving, either to Athens or to her homeland in Albania. “At first the situation wasn’t that worrying, it didn’t even cross my mind to leave. But now, when things get tough, I have second thoughts,” she said.
She, like many others, said she is used to earthquakes, but not with this frequency. Her relatives have already left the island, but for now she is not thinking of following them. For her, life in Santorini goes on, even if the ground beneath her feet refuses to stay put, writes Protothema.
Antonis Koronios, 74, is one of those who never considered leaving Santorini. Born and raised on the island, he is not afraid of high magnitude earthquakes. After all, he experienced the great earthquake of 1956 when, as a child, he slept in a tent in the field with his family.
Today he has Marcos, his donkey, at his side, and that's enough for him. "I have my animals, should I give them up?" "Who will take care of them?", "What should I be afraid of at my age?" "Neither a volcano, nor an earthquake, nor anything," he says with the certainty of a man who has learned to live in a place where the ground is never completely stable.
If anything worries him, it's not the tremors of the earth, but the tremors of a changing society. "I'm afraid for my children's children." Not for the earthquake - you can handle that. But for all the abnormals who walk among us, for criminality. "These are the ones that scare me."
Sofia Athanasiadou has lived and worked in Santorini for the past 21 years at the U&M Suites hotel in Firostefani. The hotel is almost hanging on a cliff, but she remains calm. She never thought for a moment of leaving the island, even when earthquakes became a daily occurrence.
“I didn’t leave because I have responsibilities, both in my job and as a citizen,” he says firmly. “I don’t want to leave my clients without someone to serve them. ” I know what to do in case of an earthquake, I have attended first aid seminars and can provide assistance if necessary. I am aware of Talos’ plan and the seriousness of the situation.”
Although she herself is staying on the island, she flew her children, ages 13 and 14, to Athens yesterday to stay with family friends, for greater safety. "I stayed with my husband. We are here for our clients," she said.
More than 300 earthquakes have been recorded in the last 48 hours near the island.
Some experts say the earthquake tremors could continue for weeks, writes the BBC.
Authorities have closed schools for the entire week and warned against large gatherings indoors, while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has urged citizens to remain calm.