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.

The seismic activity has led to a mass exodus of thousands of residents, and workers who are taking the ferry to reach the Greek mainland.

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