Natural seismicity in the Netherlands is mainly confined to large faults in the south of the country. These faults are part of the Roer Valley Rift System, the north-western extension of the Rhine rift system. Their style of faulting, as concluded from the analysis of seismicity, is dominantly normal faulting with a small strike-slip component, and is in accordance with the current stress pattern. South of the Roer Valley Rift System the influence of large strike-slip faults and thrust faults along the Brabant Massif is felt. The effects of natural seismicity have been moderate on the whole, and include structural damage to buildings in epicentral areas. Hazard analysis based on historical seismicity shows a maximum expected magnitude of ML=6.3. Paleoseismological investigations indicate events that may reach one magnitude higher, at an average recurrence interval in the order of 2 to 3 ka along the major fault zones. In the north of the Netherlands, no significant natural activity has been detected, but since 1986 induced events are recorded, of which the locations coincide with producing gas fields. The events are shallow (1-3 km depth) and the maximum expected magnitude is estimated at ML=3.8. Despite the limited strength of the induced events, their shallow depths may result in damage to buildings, generally in small areas around the epicentres. Measured accelerations show high values, up to 3 m/s2 at 2 km from the epicentre for an ML=3.4 event.

Reference:
Dost, B., and H. W. Haak, Natural and Induced Seismicity In Geology of the Netherlands, Th.E. Wong and J. de Jager (Ed), 2007, Amsterdam, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, ISBN 978-90-6984-481-7, p223-239.