Tourists have joined residents escaping Santorini by ferry and by air as earthquakes continue to shake the Greek island.
Aegean Airlines is reported to have laid on a series of rescue flights over the past couple of days, flying people from the island to Athens.
More than 2,800 passengers have already crammed onto the flights, which are being operated by an Airbus A320.
Aegean will have a total of eight departures from Santorini to Athens today and a further four tomorrow, with more to be laid on if necessary, according to local reports.
SKY Express also has nine flights from Santorini today, which are sold out. It has a further six scheduled for tomorrow, with some seats available.
People are also fleeing from the island by ferry to Athens due to fears that Santorini will be hit by a much bigger earthquake than the tremors felt over the past few days.
The largest of the 200 or so quakes occurred shortly before 7am today and measured 4.7.
Authorities have advised hotels to empty pools, shops and restaurants have closed and schools have been ordered to remain shut till Friday.
Residents and tourists have been warned to stay away from the coastal areas due to the risk of landslides, and there are fears that Santorini’s iconic white-washed villages that cling to the cliff edges could be damaged.
People have been advised to avoid large indoor gatherings due to the seismic activity, which experts have warned could take days or even weeks to calm down.
Fire service rescuers who arrived on the island on Sunday have set up yellow tents as a staging area inside a basketball court next to the island’s main hospital.
The old port, which lies at the foot of the cliffs, has also been closed. No cruises are due to call at the Aegean island till Viking Star on 10 February.
