In a little bit over a month, the TCMG (Temporary Commission for Mining Damage in Groningen) has disbursed more than 80 million to residents of the province who have been impacted by the ongoing induced earthquakes.
Translation by Traci White
National broadcaster NOS reports that 34.5 million euros came from a new reservoir scheme introduced by economics minister Eric Wiebes to handle a large number of open damage claims as quickly as possible. The ruling gives damage claimants the option to secure a fixed level of compensation without having to wait for their individual damage to be assessed.
According to NOS, around 16,000 addresses are eligible for the scheme, and more than 7,000 Groningen residents have accepted the terms. Another 41 million was paid out through the normal procedure, and 4.8 million euros went to incidental costs, consequential damage and legal interest.
Despite the recent progress, there are still 17,000 unprocessed damage claims related to the ongoing quakes, which are induced by the natural gas extraction operations in the province. New claims also continue to come in: 462 damage complaints were reportedly filed last week.
