Vandals Target Seismological Station in Santorini, Stealing Critical Equipment

An unknown group targeted a seismological station on the island of Santorini, stealing essential equipment and halting its operation. Scientists monitoring daily seismic activity discovered the vandalism. Professor Kostas Papazachos, a renowned expert in Seismology and Applied Geophysics at AUTH, reported to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA) that upon reaching the site, they found the station vandalized with the solar power system and battery of the new seismological station in Vlychada, Santorini, stolen. ‘Suddenly one night, late at 23:40, three days ago, it stopped functioning. When we visited, we realized all materials related to the machine’s power supply—solar panels, batteries, chargers, etc.—had been stolen, and the station was vandalized,’ stated Prof. Papazachos. The station was installed to enhance the monitoring network in southern Santorini near Vlychada to observe the southern area. Most stations are located far from human presence in quiet areas to record seismic activity without disturbances, using solar panels and batteries for autonomous operation without electricity. Such vandalism incidents are extremely rare or nonexistent across Greece’s seismological stations, according to the professor, due to societal awareness of their importance. The station was placed next to an unoccupied building generously provided by renowned artist Christoforos Asimis. Located quietly atop a rock to avoid motion, authorities responded swiftly. While thanking the police, Prof. Papazachos emphasized that the issue lies in public awareness of the value of the seismological network. He made a social media post to inform the public and appealed for citizens not to tamper with these machines vital for earthquake monitoring and public safety. The station is expected to be restored within the coming days.