Groningen struck by another gas extraction earthquake; 1.6 magnitude in Sappemeer
An earthquake with a magnitude of 1.6 occurred in Sappemeer, Groningen, at 7:08 p.m. on Sunday. Many people felt the tremor, RTV Noord reported after receiving dozens of reports from locals.
The meteorological institute KNMI registered the earthquake as an induced earthquake. This means that it was caused by human activity, gas extraction in Groningen’s case.
Locals described the earthquake as a “short, intense thud,” and a “bang, followed by a significant vibration.”
A Sappemeer resident said there was “a sort of bang” and then the door and windows rattled. “Everything in the house was shaking,” another Sappemeer resident told the regional broadcaster.
The number of earthquakes in the province of Groningen has decreased since the Dutch government stopped gas extraction there in 2024. But they do still occur.
The strongest recent earthquake was in Zeerijp on October 15 last year, measuring 3.4 on the Richter scale.
