People in the northern province of Groningen have been complaining since 2009 of a droning, humming sound keeping them awake at night. The Dutch Institute for Public Health and the Environment is investigating the source of the mysterious sound.

Many reports came from people in the village of Grijpskerk, which is also the location of natural gas pumping stations owned by Gasunie, the national gas drilling company. An initial investigation revealed that the pumps were not in use at the time of the earliest complaints. Moreover, the reports are also coming in from other parts of the province.

Groningen is the gas hub of the Netherlands. It is sitting on an enormous gas field, producing 93 million cubic metres of gas per day. Compressors or gas conduits are suspected of being the source of the sound.

A spokesperson for Groningen province estimated that about 2 percent of people are sensitive to the low frequency hum. The incessant sound is upsetting their lives, depriving them of sleep and undermining their health in the long run.

(rk)

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