Greece’s chief seismologist says that while earthquake frequency around Santorini has slightly decreased, the situation remains unpredictable for the coming weeks.

The swarm near Santorini appears to be related to the activation of a system of normal faults, fractures in the Earth’s crust where there is movement. Earthquakes are the result of a sudden release of tension built up by the movement along these faults.

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

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