Earthquake with 2.0 magnitude hits Groningen
An earthquake with the magnitude of 2.0 on the Richter scale and a depth of three kilometers hit the province of Groningen shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, the KNMI reported. The epicenter of the earthquake was near Loppersum.
The regional news outlet, RTV Noord, received reports from residents that the earthquake could be felt in among other places, Loppersum, Stedum, Uithuizen and Zeerijp, as well as, in the northeast of the city of Groningen.
One Zeerijp resident said he felt, “A dull drone and then the house started shaking.” Another resident reported hearing "a rumbling noise and then felt a considerable shock".
The earthquake was induced, meaning that it had been caused by human activity that strains the Earth’s crust. Induced earthquakes in Groningen are often due to natural gas extraction that has been going on for decades in the region.
It has been debating if fracking companies should be prosecuted for earthquake damages in Groningen. In March, the Public Prosecution Service found that “there had been significant damage to homes as a result of gas extraction”, yet the case was dismissed because the lives of residents had not been in concrete danger.
The seismicity was the first earthquake in Groningen this month. At the end of March, an earthquake with a magnitude of 1.5 hit the region.
