VOERENDAAL (NL)
Earthquake23 June 2001
- Magnitude
- 3.9ML
- Depth
- 6.8km ± 1.2
- Max. int.
- 5
- Belgian time
- 03:40:032001-06-23
- UTC
- 01:40:032001-06-23
Main parameters
| Date and time | 2001-06-23 01:40:03 UTC 2001-06-23 03:40:03 Belgian time |
|---|---|
| Magnitude | ML 3.9 |
| Epicentral coordinates | 50.876° N, 5.920° E Uncertainty ± 0.6 km |
| Maximum intensity | 5 |
| Depth of hypocenter | 6.8 ± 1.2 km |
| Event ID | ROB 1529 |
Data source : ROB (Royal Observatory of Belgium)
Last update : 2024-09-16 14:49:17 Belgian time
Location map
- Epicentre
- Station that recorded the event
Macroseismic intensities
Intensities assessed for each municipality by the seismologists of the Royal Observatory, from the official questionnaires sent to the municipalities, letters received, the press and published studies. They make up the Belgian Traditional Macroseismic database (BTM).
- Intensity data points
- 59
- Maximum intensity
- IV–V
- Farthest municipality
- 44km · FLEMALLE
- Source quality
- B
- I
- II
- III
- IV
- V
- VI
- VII+
- Epicentre
Points by intensity
| Intensity | Points | |
|---|---|---|
| I | 31 | |
| II | 3 | |
| III | 8 | |
| IV | 15 | |
| V | 2 | |
| Total | 59 |
Municipalities assessed with a range (Imin < Imax): 22. Switching between Imin and Imax shows the spread of the assessment.
List of the points (59)
Sources of the intensities
| Source | Points |
|---|---|
| Official ROB questionnaire, version 6 | 59 |
Belgian Traditional Macroseismic database: Neefs B, Van Noten K, Vanneste K, Camelbeeck T (2025). The Belgian traditional macroseismic (BTM) database of the twentieth century. Journal of Seismology 29, 1005–1036. doi:10.1007/s10950-024-10266-9
Data set: Neefs B, Van Noten K, Vanneste K, Camelbeeck T (2024). The Belgian Traditional Macroseismic (BTM) Database of the 20th Century [data set]. Royal Observatory of Belgium. doi:10.24414/2b5w-j029
Notes and method
For each municipality, an assessment on the European Macroseismic Scale EMS-98: minimum and maximum intensity (Imin, Imax), equal or forming a range (III–IV) that reflects the spread of the testimonies in the municipality, “F” when the earthquake was felt but no degree could be given.
Only Belgian municipalities are in the BTM database. Points of the ROB database outside this area (abroad), not shown: 3.
Seismic activity in the area
Known earthquakes around the epicentre, from the catalogue of the Royal Observatory of Belgium.
Within 10 km of the epicentre
127 other earthquakes in the catalogue since 1967. 95 of them occurred after this one. This is the largest known earthquake in the area.
Latest earthquakes before this one
| Date | Place | Magnitude | Intensity | Distance km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-06-20 | VOERENDAAL (NL) | ML 2.3 | – | 0.6 |
| 2001-06-16 | NUTH (NL) | ML 1.2 | – | 0.5 |
| 2001-06-16 | NUTH (NL) | ML 2.4 | – | 0.7 |
| 2001-03-10 | HEERLEN (NL) | ML 2.3 | – | 0.7 |
| 2001-03-07 | NUTH (NL) | ML 3.1 | 4 | 0.9 |
Largest known earthquakes
| Date | Place | Magnitude | Intensity | Distance km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-06-23 | This earthquake | ML 3.9 | 5 | – |
| 2001-06-23 | VOERENDAAL(NL) | ML 3.6 | 4 | 1.0 |
| 1988-10-17 | GULPEN (NL) | ML 3.4 | 4 | 7.5 |
| 2001-06-23 | VOERENDAAL (NL) | ML 3.2 | 3 | 0.9 |
| 1985-12-07 | VOERENDAAL (NL) | ML 3.1 | – | 2.0 |
Notes and method
Tectonic and induced earthquakes from the Observatory’s catalogue, suspected ones included; quarry blasts, explosions and other events are not counted. Epicentral distances on the WGS84 ellipsoid.
Municipality: 2025 municipal boundaries (Statbel), applied to every earthquake, including those before the merger of municipalities. For an epicentre outside Belgium, only the circular area is given. Each earthquake’s name is the catalogue’s: it may refer to a place near the epicentre.
Magnitude: the one given on each earthquake’s page (ML preferably, otherwise MW or MS); magnitudes of different types are compared as they are.
The epicentres of historical earthquakes are only known to within a few kilometres, sometimes more: whether they fall in the area is indicative. Small earthquakes have only been recorded as the station network grew: the area’s older earthquakes are mostly the largest ones, and recent activity looks more frequent.
Arrival times at the stations
Each station first records the P wave, the fastest, then the S wave. The farther a station is from the epicentre, the later the waves reach it and the wider the gap between the two.
- Stations
- 49
- Epicentral distance
- 9.6 – 564.4km
- Mean velocity, P wave
- 6.3km/s
- Mean velocity, S wave
- 3.5km/s
- P wave
- S wave
- Curve fitted to the measurements
Notes and method
Curves: travel time of a direct wave in a homogeneous medium. The velocity of each wave and an origin-time shift, common to both, are fitted to the measurements by least squares. Hypocenter at a depth of 6.8 km. P wave: 32 measurements, root-mean-square deviation 0.53 s. S wave: 26 measurements, root-mean-square deviation 0.87 s.
Stations farther than 120 km are left out of the fit: the first waves to reach them have travelled beneath the crust, through the mantle, where they propagate faster.
Station measurements
P- and S-wave arrivals and ground displacement measured at each station. Click a column heading to change the order.
| km | ° | UTC | UTC | s | nm | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgian seismic network (Royal Observatory of Belgium)19 stations | ||||||
| EBNEben-Emael | 19.2 | 243 | 01:40:06.84+3.29 s | 01:40:09.60+6.05 s | 2.76 | 14159.2 |
| MEMBMembach | 30.4 | 168 | 01:40:08.68+5.13 s | 01:40:12.70+9.15 s | 4.02 | – |
| LCHLa Chartreuse | 34.8 | 221 | 01:40:09.50+5.95 s | 01:40:14.39+10.84 s | 4.89 | 7342.9 |
| HRKHerkenbosch | 38.8 | 27 | 01:40:10.16+6.61 s | 01:40:15.91+12.36 s | 5.75 | – |
| STISart Tilman | 41.2 | 218 | 01:40:10.62+7.07 s | 01:40:16.72+13.17 s | 6.10 | – |
| HEYHeyd | 62.9 | 203 | 01:40:14.34+10.79 s | 01:40:21.70+18.15 s | 7.36 | – |
| CLAClavier | 67.0 | 221 | 01:40:15.00+11.45 s | 01:40:24.03+20.48 s | 9.03 | 2591.3 |
| CTHCouthuin | 68.5 | 236 | 01:40:14.70+11.15 s | – | – | – |
| WIBWibrin | 80.5 | 190 | 01:40:17.27+13.72 s | – | – | – |
| KLBKalborn | 87.4 | 171 | 01:40:18.58+15.03 s | 01:40:28.38+24.83 s | 9.80 | 3175.0 |
| HUMHumain | 89.5 | 212 | 01:40:18.40+14.85 s | – | – | – |
| RCHRochefort | 94.1 | 212 | 01:40:19.14+15.59 s | – | – | – |
| MRDMaredsous | 103.6 | 232 | 01:40:20.95+17.40 s | 01:40:34.60+31.05 s | 13.65 | – |
| UCCBUccle | 110.2 | 266 | 01:40:21.54+17.99 s | – | – | – |
| SNFSeneffe | 122.5 | 251 | 01:40:23.34+19.79 s | – | – | – |
| DOUDourbes | 128.0 | 228 | 01:40:25.06+21.51 s | 01:40:40.71+37.16 s | 15.65 | 1407.6 |
| SKQSteenkerque | 132.2 | 260 | 01:40:25.44+21.89 s | 01:40:41.03+37.48 s | 15.59 | 2460.9 |
| WLFWalferdange | 135.8 | 173 | 01:40:26.62+23.07 s | 01:40:41.78+38.23 s | 15.16 | – |
| BOUBougnies | 149.8 | 250 | 01:40:28.11+24.56 s | – | – | – |
| Bensberg seismic network (University of Cologne, Germany)8 stations | ||||||
| JUEJülich | 34.5 | 84 | 01:40:09.76+6.21 s | 01:40:15.06+11.51 s | 5.30 | – |
| KLLKalltalsperre | 37.6 | 133 | 01:40:09.97+6.42 s | 01:40:14.63+11.08 s | 4.66 | – |
| STBSteinbachtalsperre | 72.2 | 115 | 01:40:15.84+12.29 s | 01:40:25.05+21.50 s | 9.21 | – |
| HILHillesheim | 84.4 | 140 | 01:40:17.98+14.43 s | 01:40:28.60+25.05 s | 10.62 | – |
| BNSBensberg | 88.9 | 83 | 01:40:18.72+15.17 s | 01:40:29.47+25.92 s | 10.75 | – |
| HOBHohbusch | 100.1 | 83 | 01:40:20.47+16.92 s | 01:40:32.99+29.44 s | 12.52 | – |
| BGGBurg Eltz | 125.1 | 126 | 01:40:24.40+20.85 s | 01:40:40.91+37.36 s | 16.51 | – |
| KOEKöppel | 137.6 | 111 | 01:40:26.19+22.64 s | 01:40:43.26+39.71 s | 17.07 | – |
| Dutch seismic network (KNMI)6 stations | ||||||
| VKBValkenburg | 9.6 | 264 | 01:40:05.20+1.65 s | 01:40:06.68+3.13 s | 1.48 | – |
| RDCRolduc(2) | 11.6 | 94 | 01:40:05.52+1.97 s | 01:40:07.50+3.95 s | 1.98 | – |
| HGNHeimansgroeve | 12.5 | 176 | 01:40:05.62+2.07 s | 01:40:07.63+4.08 s | 2.01 | – |
| SCHNSchinveld | 13.9 | 30 | 01:40:08.52+4.97 s | 01:40:11.58+8.03 s | 3.06 | – |
| OPLOploo | 79.7 | 355 | 01:40:17.06+13.51 s | 01:40:27.67+24.12 s | 10.61 | – |
| WTSBWinterswijk New | 135.8 | 26 | 01:40:25.82+22.27 s | 01:40:42.43+38.88 s | 16.61 | – |
| Network JCK5 stations | ||||||
| GSHGrosshau | 36.0 | 116 | 01:40:09.74+6.19 s | 01:40:14.75+11.20 s | 5.01 | – |
| JCKJACKERATH | 40.1 | 63 | 01:40:10.18+6.63 s | 01:40:15.14+11.59 s | 4.96 | – |
| OLFOleftalsperre | 55.3 | 140 | 01:40:12.94+9.39 s | 01:40:19.50+15.95 s | 6.56 | – |
| PLHPULHEIM | 64.9 | 77 | 01:40:14.56+11.01 s | 01:40:21.90+18.35 s | 7.34 | – |
| WBSWahnbachtalsperre | 104.7 | 113 | 01:40:19.78+16.23 s | 01:40:32.45+28.90 s | 12.67 | – |
| Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (Germany)2 stations | ||||||
| BFOBLACK FOREST OBSERVATORY - SCHILTACH | 332.4 | 147 | 01:40:50.66+47.11 s | – | – | – |
| BRGBerggiesshubel | 564.4 | 87 | 01:41:19.53−7948724.02 s | – | – | – |
| German Regional Seismic Network (BGR, Germany)2 stations | ||||||
| TNSTaunus Observatorium Kleiner Feldberg | 193.3 | 111 | 01:40:33.16+29.61 s | – | – | – |
| FURFUERSTENFELDBRUCK | 491.0 | 126 | 01:41:11.45−7948732.10 s | – | – | – |
| Network BUG1 station | ||||||
| BUGBochum | 113.4 | 56 | 01:40:21.73+18.18 s | – | – | – |
| Network FBB1 station | ||||||
| TODTromm | 249.6 | 123 | 01:40:40.06+36.51 s | – | – | – |
| Network GRF1 station | ||||||
| GRFGRAEFFENBERG ARRAY (ERLANGEN) | 400.1 | 107 | 01:40:59.59+56.04 s | – | – | – |
| Network JEN1 station | ||||||
| MOXMoxa | 402.6 | 91 | 01:40:59.60+56.05 s | – | – | – |
| Network STR1 station | ||||||
| LOMFLOMONT DU CHAMESOL | 397.6 | 170 | 01:40:59.01+55.46 s | – | – | – |
| Network STU1 station | ||||||
| STUSTUTTGART | 332.1 | 134 | 01:40:51.01+47.46 s | – | – | – |
| Network not specified1 station | ||||||
| KRFKREFELD | 67.5 | 40 | 01:40:14.68+11.13 s | 01:40:22.60+19.05 s | 7.92 | – |