Groningen village Thesinge hit by 1.7 magnitude earthquake

An earthquake with a magnitude of 1.7 occurred in the Groningen village of Thesinge on Friday night. According to the national meteorological institute KNMI, the earthquake happened just after 12.30 a.m.

The quake occurred at a depth of 3 kilometers, according to the KNMI. About two weeks ago, on November 25, there was already an earthquake in Thesinge, then with a magnitude of 0.4, as reported by NU.nl.

The quakes in Groningen and the surrounding area are caused by gas extraction in the province, which is under critical scrutiny. The most severe quake in this area to date occurred in the summer of 2012 near Huizinge in the north of Groningen, which recorded a magnitude of 3.6.

At the beginning of October, the gas tap in Groningen was closed which marked the end of gas extraction in the northern province after 60 years. Now the tap may only be opened in emergencies. The decision to stop gas production was made because of the risk of earthquakes and the suffering of the residents.

However, the residents of Groningen do not agree with this emergency solution and have therefore filed a lawsuit to close the tap permanently. On December 22, the Council of State will decide on this case, the newspaper reported.