The Groningen Mining Damage Institute (IMG) has received 191 damage reports until 5 p.m. on Saturday due to the earthquake with a magnitude of 3.1 near Wirdum, and the aftershock with a magnitude of 1.2 near Garrelsweer. Ninety reports had been received by 11:30 a.m. Saturday morning.
Of the damage reports, 126 come from the so-called effect area of the earthquakes. Within the effect area are places such as Appingedam and Delfzijl, as well as Wirdum and Garrelsweer. Seven reports have been made of a potentially acutely unsafe situation. Safety inspections are carried out in those places.
Heaviest earthquake this year
The earthquake struck at 4:17 a.m. at a depth of three kilometers. It is the strongest earthquake of this year and it is one of the ten strongest earthquakes in Groningen. The Groningen Mining Damage Institute reports that the earthquake near Wirdum has caused damage to homes beyond places like Bedum.
The damage reports come from a large area. For example, several reports have been made from the city of Groningen. On average, the IMG received approximately 134 damage reports per day over the past five weeks.
Village house open
The municipality of Eemsdelta opened the village hall in Wirdum for residents on Saturday. The mayor and an alderman, among others, listened to residents there. “It’s nice that residents came to tell their story after last night’s heavy earthquake,” the municipality reports on Twitter.
In addition, the Noorderzijlvest water board inspected quays, pumping stations and locks in a radius of ten kilometers around Wirdum on Saturday for unsafe situations. However, no significant damage was found, the water board reports on Twitter.