5.4-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Greece: Was It the Predicted ‘Exciting Week’ by Dutch Seismologist?

A 5.4-magnitude earthquake jolted Greece on Friday, raising questions about whether Dutch seismologist Frank Hogerbeets’ predictions of an “exciting week” had any merit. The German Research Center for Earth Sciences reported that the earthquake struck with an epicenter located approximately ten kilometers beneath the earth’s surface.

Representative image of a seismograph. Tuesday's earthquake near La Serena, Elqui did not cause any significant damages.

Hogerbeets, a controversial Dutch earthquake expert, had warned of the potential for seismic activity exceeding 6.0 on the Richter scale due to intriguing celestial alignments, suggesting a possible influence on the Earth’s crust. In a tweet, he stated, “We should wait and see how the Earth responds… This is a very exciting week. Stay extra vigilant.”

Again, be on watch for larger earthquakes in the next few days. https://t.co/yid8yPUbzT

— Frank Hoogerbeets (@hogrbe) October 30, 2023

According to information from Greece, the earthquake occurred beneath the earth’s surface near the town of Mantoudi on the island of Euboea, approximately 90 kilometers (55 miles) north of Athens, which caused tremors felt by the residents of the Greek capital. Authorities advised residents to steer clear of buildings and old roads with a history of rockslides. The Athens Geodynamic Institute reported that the earthquake was followed by aftershocks measuring up to 3.7 on the Richter scale. Most earthquakes in Greece occur beneath the sea’s surface.

Just yesterday, a quake with a magnitude exceeding 6.0 caused minor damage to homes and other structures in southeastern Indonesia, early in the day, inducing some panic, but fortunately, no clear injuries occurred. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the earthquake’s strength at 6.1 on the Richter scale, with an epicenter located 36 kilometers (22 miles) beneath the surface. The earthquake’s center was situated 21 kilometers northeast of Kobang on the western side of Timor Island.

The Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics estimated the earthquake’s strength at 6.3 on the Richter scale. Discrepancies in early measurements of earthquakes are common.

6.3-magnitude quake jolts off central Indonesia, no potential tsunami

A 6.3-magnitude earthquake rocked off East Nusa Tenggara province in central Indonesia today (Nov 2), but did not cause giant waves, the country’s meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency BMKG said.

— New Sarawak Tribune (@newswktribune) November 3, 2023

It is worth mentioning that the name of the controversial Dutch scientist Frank Hogerbeets resurfaces with each earth-shaking event, as he often claims, “I predicted this earthquake… I warned of this tremor.” Scientists, however, assert that there is no scientific method for predicting earthquakes before they occur.

Nonetheless, Hogerbeets’ warnings and forecasts, which he disseminates through posts on his personal accounts on platforms like Twitter or Facebook, spread like wildfire and are widely circulated on social media. These predictions have led to global alarm, linking anticipated strong earthquakes with celestial planetary alignments and suggesting a “critical geometry” that impacts the Earth and triggers seismic events, according to Hogerbeets’ theory, which he vigorously defends.