Scientists have detected several thousand earthquakes, most with small magnitudes, in just over two weeks near Greece’s volcanic island of Santorini.

It welcomes around 3 million visitors per year, but between January 26 and February 8, the Seismology Laboratory of the University of Athens has registered a staggering 12,800 earthquakes in the Santorini-Amorgos zone, the strongest of these was last night at a magnitude of 5.3.

ATHENS : An earthquake of 5.3 magnitude hit the Greek island of Santorini late yesterday, officials said, the strongest yet of the thousands of tremors that have shaken the area, prompting thousands to leave. Felt as far away as Athens, the undersea quake caused neither damage nor injuries.

The emergency measure announced on the island of Amorgos follows a similar decision for nearby Santorini on February 7 after thousands of unusual tremors were registered in an undersea area

Repeated earthquakes are rattling Greece’s volcanic island of Santorini. Scientists say the quakes aren't related to a slight increase in volcanic activity that has also been registered recently.

An earthquake of 5. 3 magnitude hit the Greek island of Santorini late Monday, officials said, the strongest yet of the thousands of tremors that have shaken the area, prompting thousands to leave.

Thousands of locals and travelers have evacuated the Greek island of Santorini amidst a spike in seismic activity.

February marks the unofficial start of the tourist season in the Greek island of Santorini - when the first cruise ships are due to arrive and the Easter holidays approach. But with thousands of earthquakes shaking the island since January and experts unable to say when they will end,

Authorities declared a state of emergency on a second Greek island Wednesday as a series of earthquakes continued to rattle the south-eastern Aegean Sea region. The emergency measure announced on the island of Amorgos follows a similar decision for nearby Santorini on Feb.