Mental stress from Groningen earthquakes causing 16 premature deaths per year

About 16 people die prematurely each year in the Groningen earthquake area due to stress caused by the quakes and related damage, according to research by the University of Groningen. All the residents who die prematurely have damage or multiple damages to their homes, former research leader Tom Postmes said to broadcaster NOS.

The researchers have been studying the effects of the fracking earthquakes on Groningen residents' health for years. Their estimate for the number of premature deaths is based on research by health service GGD into how people perceive their own health, combined with scientific knowledge about the consequences of stress on mortality.

Thousands of residents of the Groningen earthquake zone have stress-related health problems, the researchers said. Sometimes these issues are so severe that people develop an anxiety disorder or depression. Some people also struggle with physical symptoms - headaches, insomnia, palpitations, and stomach pains. These types of complaints slightly increase the risk of death, for example, from cardiovascular disease or suicide, the researchers said.

The researchers handled some extremely distressing cases, Postmes said to NOS. He is appalled by how long it took for the government to devise a policy to assist people with mental health problems. "What we also noticed: there is such a lukewarm response. It seems that the penny hasn't dropped. To give an example: in all that time, we never spoke to an official from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate who asked: explain this to us."

When Postmes sounded the alarm himself, the Ministry's first concern was whether the researchers would take their findings to the press. "The idea that 'emotions behind the front door' are relevant apparently didn't sink in. It's been an incredibly powerless time."

The State Supervision of Mines (SodM) said it takes the figures from the University of Groningen seriously. “It underlines that the safety risks in Groningen are not only the result of a major earthquake but that people also die prematurely because they have been sitting in uncertainty for years, stressing. And for some, that also affected their health,” Theodor Kockelkoren of the SodM said to NOS.

According to Kockelkoren, the only solution is to phase out gas production in the province quickly, reinforce the homes, and ensure that damage claims get settled. “Because those are all factors that contribute to the stress and uncertainty that has dominated people’s lives for so long.”