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=== 1956 earthquake === At 05:11 local time ([[Central European Summer Time|CEST]], 03:11 UTC) on 9 July 1956, the [[1956 Amorgos earthquake]] (magnitude{{snd}} depending on the particular study{{snd}} of 7.5,<ref name= Tsampouraki-Kraounaki>{{cite journal |last1=Tsampouraki-Kraounaki |first1=Konstantina |last2=Sakellariou |first2=Dimitris |last3=Rousakis |first3=Grigoris |last4=Morfis |first4=Ioannis |last5=Panagiotopoulos |first5=Ioannis |last6=Livanos |first6=Isidoros |last7=Manta |first7=Kyriaki |last8=Paraschos |first8=Fratzeska |last9=Papatheodorou |first9=George |title=The Santorini-Amorgos Shear Zone: Evidence for Dextral Transtension in the South Aegean Back-Arc Region, Greece |journal=Geosciences |volume=11 |issue=5 |publisher=MDPI |place=Basel, Switzerland |year=2021 |page=216 |doi=10.3390/geosciences11050216 |bibcode=2021Geosc..11..216T |url=https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/11/5/216/pdf?version=1621332546 |doi-access=free |access-date=24 April 2022 |archive-date=24 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230424165308/https://mdpi-res.com/d_attachment/geosciences/geosciences-11-00216/article_deploy/geosciences-11-00216-v2.pdf?version=1621332546 |url-status=live}}</ref> 7.6,<ref name= Tsampouraki-Kraounaki /> 7.7<ref name= Papadimitriou2005>{{cite journal |last1=Papadimitriou |first1=Eleftheria |last2=Sourlas |first2=Georgios |last3=Karakostas |first3=Vassilios |title=Seismicity Variations in the Southern Aegean, Greece, Before and After the Large (M7.7) 1956 Amorgos Earthquake Due to Evolving Stress |journal=Pure and Applied Geophysics |year=2005 |volume=162 |issue=5 |pages=783β804 |doi=10.1007/s00024-004-2641-z |bibcode=2005PApGe.162..783P |s2cid=140605036 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/226437052}}</ref> or 7.8<ref name=Okal2009>{{cite journal |last1=Okal |first1=Emile A. |last2=Synolakis |first2=Costas E. |last3=Uslu |first3=Burak |last4=Kalligeris |first4=Nikos |last5=Voukouvalas |first5=Evangelos |title=The 1956 earthquake and tsunami in Amorgos, Greece |journal=Geophysical Journal International |volume=178 |issue=3 |pages=1533β1554 |year=2009 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-246X.2009.04237.x |bibcode=2009GeoJI.178.1533O |doi-access= free}}</ref>) struck {{cvt|30|km}} south of the island of [[Amorgos]], about {{cvt|50|km}} from Santorini. It was the largest earthquake of the 20th century in Greece and also had a devastating impact on Santorini.<ref name= Okal2009 /><ref name= Papadimitriou2005 /> It was followed by aftershocks, the most significant being the first occurring at 05:24, 13 minutes after the main shock, which had a 7.2 magnitude.<ref name= Okal2009 /> This aftershock which originated close to the island of [[Anafi]] is believed to have been responsible for most of the damage and casualties on Santorini.<ref name= Okal2009 /> The earthquake was accompanied by a [[tsunami]] which, while much higher at other islands, is estimated to have reached 3 metres at Perissa and 2 metres at Vlichada on Santorini.<ref name= Okal2009 /> Immediately following the earthquake, the Greek Prime Minister [[Konstantinos Karamanlis]] declared Santorini a state of "large-scale local disaster" and visited the island to inspect the situation on 14 July.<ref name= Simos /> Many countries had offered to send relief efforts, though Greece refused to accept the offer of the United Kingdom to send warships to help from Cyprus where they were involved in the [[Cyprus Emergency]].<ref name= Simos /> As there was no airport, the Greek military made air drops of food, tents and supplies and camps for homeless people were established on the outskirts of Fira.<ref name= NYTimes2>{{Citation |title=20 Still Missing In Aegean Quake |newspaper=New York Times |date=11 July 1956 |page=5 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1956/07/11/archives/20-still-missing-in-aegean-quake-death-toll-on-thera-put-at-4360-of.html |accessdate=20 March 2022 |archive-date=24 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424052859/https://www.nytimes.com/1956/07/11/archives/20-still-missing-in-aegean-quake-death-toll-on-thera-put-at-4360-of.html |url-status=live}}</ref> On Santorini, the earthquakes killed 53 people and injured another 100.<ref name= NYTimes1>{{Citation |last=Sedgwick |first=A.C. |title=Quake, Tidal Wave Hit Aegean; At Least 42 Dead in Greek Isles |newspaper=New York Times |date=10 July 1956 |pages=1, 6 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1956/07/10/archives/quake-tidal-wave-hit-aegean-at-least-42-dead-in-greek-isles-greek.html |accessdate=20 March 2022 |archive-date=24 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424052858/https://www.nytimes.com/1956/07/10/archives/quake-tidal-wave-hit-aegean-at-least-42-dead-in-greek-isles-greek.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Simos>{{cite web |last=Simos |first=Andriana |title=On This Day: The 1956 Santorini earthquake and its devastating aftermath |publisher=The Greek Herald |date=9 July 2020 |url=https://greekherald.com.au/culture/history/on-this-day-the-1956-santorini-earthquake-and-its-devastating-aftermath/ |accessdate=24 April 2022 |archive-date=24 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424051357/https://greekherald.com.au/culture/history/on-this-day-the-1956-santorini-earthquake-and-its-devastating-aftermath/ |url-status=live}}</ref> 35% of the island's houses collapsed and 45% suffered major or minor damage.<ref name= Simos /> In total, 529 houses were destroyed, 1,482 were severely damaged and 1,750 lightly damaged.<ref name= Simos /> Almost all public buildings were completely destroyed. One of the largest buildings that survived unscathed was the newly built Hotel Atlantis, which allowed it to be used as a temporary hospital and to house public services. The greatest damage was experienced on the Western side along the edge of the caldera, especially at Oia, with parts of the ground collapsing into the sea. The damage from the earthquake reduced most of the population to extreme poverty and caused many to leave the island in search of better opportunities, with most settling in Athens.<ref name= Simos />
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