Claims desk for Groningen earthquake damage opens

On Monday the claims desk specifically for handling damages caused by gas extraction in Groningen opened. The 30 employees of the claims desk is facing a major workload - around 12 thousand damage cases are waiting to be examined, because almost nothing has been done with them since March 31st last year, RTL Nieuws reports.

An independent committee will start by making an inventory and assessing the damage claims. The claims desk is part of a new damage protocol that Minister Eric Wiebes of Economic Affairs and Climate presented on January 31st.

Wiebes expects the new claims desk will be a success. "Nobody is still thinking about his wallet. It is about a fair and independent assessment of the damage, and Groningers can object in a variety of ways", Wiebes said, according to the broadcaster.