Monday morning there was an earthquake at Zeerijp with a magnitude of 2.5. In the afternoon there was an earthquake at Appingedam with a magnitude of 1.8 and in the evening another earthquake at Zeerijp with a magnitude of 2.2. All quakes were measured at a depth of approximately 3 kilometers.
Eight damage reports were received as a result of the previous three earthquakes. In addition, the Groningen Mining Damage Institute (IMG) received seven reports of ‘possibly acutely unsafe situations’. In an acutely unsafe situation, the safety of a building is at stake, for example because walls are seriously skewed or because there is a risk of short circuit.
Tonight’s quake was less powerful, but some residents still felt a knock and tremors in the house. KNMI Weather Institute, which also specializes in seismology, called Monday’s three earthquakes exceptional.
The earthquakes in the north of Groningen are caused by gas extraction in the area around Loppersum and Appingedam. The heaviest earthquake was near the village of Huizinge in 2012. It had a magnitude of 3.6. Huizinge is located a few kilometers west of Zeerijp.