Santorini volcano state

The hot springs

Even though the volcano of Santorini has been being inactive for a long time, it may wake up any time in order to start a new circle of eruptions. However, scientists have spent time and efforts in order to find out methods that can warn people before a possible volcanic activity. Modern tools and devices have been placed in the volcanic area of Santorini in order to record every slight sign of a volcanic eruption, such as high temperature, alteration on the sea level, earthquakes etc.

The hot springs of Santorini and the fumaroles and solfataras of Nea Kameni make it clear that the volcanic activity has not been completed yet and that it may wake up any time. The hot steam emerging from the edge of the crater named Georgios proves that there is fluid magma at that point. The ground is unusually hot and the rocks have turned to yellow due to the sulphire. The sea water to the north of Nea Kameni island is brown due to a clay layer on the bottom of the sea (60 cm thick). This swallow cove is known as Kokkina Nera (red water) and its water is hot. Springs with hot water and high sulphire content exist around the volcanic islands (Palea and Nea Kameni), at Kolumbo cape, Vlychada beach and others.

The volcanic island Nea Kameni was inhabited in the past, during the summer. However, a volcanic explosion destroyed all the houses and the churches that had been built on it. Investigations on the magmatic chamber and the morphology of Nea Kameni has led scientists to the conclusion that there is a high possibility of a future volcanic eruption at that point. For this reason, the two volcanic islands are no more inhabited.