Belgium measured 79 earthquakes in 2014

The Royal Observatory of Belgium measured 79 earthquakes in Belgium in 2014, according to its website. Last year was a quiet year in terms of earthquakes both in Belgium and worldwide, says seismologist Koen Verbeeck of the Observatory.

The figure takes into account only naturally occurring earthquakes detected by the Observatory. Belgium’s biggest earthquake of 2014 took place on December 25 at 20.53 and had a magnitude of 2.7 on the Richter scale.

Last year there were no major highs recorded or significant damage done by earthquakes. "It was a quiet year in terms of earthquakes, even on a global scale. There were only a few earthquakes with a magnitude of 7 worldwide, and not one reached 8," says Verbeeck. "That is positive, but for the study of earthquakes itself, it was not such a good year."

The strongest earthquake in Belgian history dates back to 1692, Verbeeck adds, when a quake with a magnitude of 6.2 was measured near Verviers, and caused damage across the country.