Explosions in seven places yesterday, setting a new record high

Explosives went off in at least seven places in the Netherlands on Wednesday, the most ever in a single day. Three explosions took place in Amsterdam-Noord, and there were also separate incidents in Rotterdam, The Hague, Eindhoven and Bergschenhoek, according to data collected by ANP since the beginning of 2023.

So far this year, there have been 84 deliberate explosions in the Netherlands, putting the country on pace for over 800 explosions this year. In all of last year there were, 378 attacks involving explosions.

There have been at least 18 reported explosions in the first week of February. There were 13 in the first seven days of January alone. The data shows that explosives were detonated at least 66 times throughout January, also a record-setting total for a single month. By comparison, there were 13 reported explosions in January 2023.

That reflects an average of about two explosions per day. This happened most often in the west of the country, particularly in Rotterdam, but incidents also occurred in Groningen, Overijssel, Gelderland and Noord-Brabant. Homes were the most frequent target.

ANP only counts incidents involving explosives that were deliberately placed, and which actually detonated. For this reason, the devastating explosion in Rotterdam-Zuid, which killed three people last week, was not included, as this explosion may have been the accidental result of the illegal production of drugs.

Likewise, the emergency services found an explosive in a suspicious package left on Tuinstraat in Veenendaal on Wednesday evening. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service removed it and detonated it in a safe place. After the discovery of the package, several homes and catering establishments in the area were evacuated. Twenty to forty people were accommodated in the town hall of the Utrecht town, a spokesperson for Veilighedisregio Utrecht estimated.

Additionally, the data only represents those cases which were reported by the police or in the media. Because of this, the actual number may be even higher.