Greece’s government declared a state of emergency on Santorini on Thursday after hundreds of undersea earthquakes shook the resort island for nearly a week. The ministry of civil protection’s announcement will provide authorities faster access to state resources.

Since last week, thousands of residents have left the island by plane and ferry, as hundreds of earthquakes continue to shake the region.

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.