The top tourist island of Santorini has been struck by its strongest earthquake in weeks amid a wave of increased seismic activity in the region.

Residents on the popular island of Santorini have experienced thousands of earthquakes this month while researchers have revealed a new magma chamber growing underneath the Kolumbo submarine volcano.

The threat of a more major earthquake seems to have subsided on the most visited of the Greek islands but experts disagree on the origin of the tremors that have caused 11,000 of the 15,000 permanent residents to flee.

Greece’s government declared a state of emergency on Santorini on Thursday after hundreds of undersea earthquakes shook the resort island for nearly a week. The ministry of civil protection’s announcement will provide authorities faster access to state resources.

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.

Earthquakes are still rattling Greece’s volcanic island of Santorini every few minutes as authorities bolster their emergency plans in case the hundreds of temblors in recent days are a harbinger of a larger quake to come.

Experts say the Greek island of Santorini has been hit by more than 1,000 earthquakes, but they're not linked to the region's active volcanoes.

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

Seismic activity around the Greek island of Santorini intensified on February 9, with a 5.0 magnitude earthquake recorded at 21:05, 15 km southwest of Arkessini, Amorgos, according to SKAI. The tremor was the strongest since the 5.