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.

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.

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.

Repeated earthquakes are rattling Greece’s volcanic island of Santorini. Scientists say the quakes aren't related to a slight increase in volcanic activity that has also been registered recently.

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.

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.