Groningen town rocked by 2.5 magnitude earthquake

Residents of the province of Groningen were again woken by an earthquake on Monday morning. The quake measured 2.5 on the Richter scale at 4:59 a.m., with its epicenter at a depth of 3 kilometers in Zeerijp, meteorological institute KNMI said.

This was an "induced" earthquake, according to the KNMI. That means it was caused by humans - the gas extraction in the province.

Despite the early hour, local broadcaster RTV Noord received dozens of reports from people who felt the quake, most from Loppersum. "Very annoying waking up like this," a Loppersum resident said to the broadcaster. "And your children are no longer impressed, that says something."

Groningen is regularly shaken by fracking earthquakes. This year alone there were earthquakes in Hellum on August 5, in Stedum on June 19, in Loppersum on June 12, in Wildervank on March 31, and in Tjuchem on January 24.