Electricity Returns to Santorini

The electricity outage on Santorini is "gradually" improving, according to the AFP. The island was hit with a blackout on Tuesday after a fire at the Greek island's main electricity plant.

Mayor Nikolaos Zorzos told the news source that generators and repair equipment arrived Wednesday morning and that the situation is improving "by alternating the power flow to different areas." 

The mayor did not specify the cause of the fire, but said the "priority was to deal with the power outage," at the height of tourist season with 120,000 visitors on the island.

Local government officials reportedly denounced the state of the electricity grid on Greek islands, especially in summer, and called for modernization. The island generates its own power, and George Poussaios, vice-governor of the Cyclades, told the Greek daily Ta Nea that undersea cables should be used to connect Santorini to the mainland. 

IOL Travel has reported a 10 percent increase in foreign arrivals at Greek airports for the first half of 2013.