On April 13, the Moon was in relative close proximity to Earth which could trigger an earthquake in the coming days, according to one forecaster. The positioning of the Moon as well as other planets in the solar system are having an effect on Earth’s crust, and could cause an earthquake. This is according to earthquake ‘forecasting’ website Ditrianum, run by researcher Frank Hoogerbeets, who believes the other celestial bodies in our solar system are pulling on Earth through their gravity, causing tension to build in Earth’s tectonic plates.
Once the tension is unleashed, it could end with a major quake across the globe.
There is no indication as to when or where the predicted earthquakes may strike, but it could be a tremor around magnitude six, which “may cause a lot of damage in very populated areas”, according to experts.
Mr Hoogerbeets wrote on his website on April 16: “A lunar peak on the 13th may trigger larger seismic activity around or over 6 magnitude.
“Seismic unrest may also occur later in the week, following lunar and planetary geometric peaks.”
The Dutch researcher reached his conclusion using his Solar System Geometry Index (SSGI) which “is the computation of a dataset for a specific time-frame of values given to specific geometric positions of the planets, the Moon and the Sun”.
He said: “After three years of observations, it became clear that some planetary geometry in the Solar System clearly tends to cause a seismic increase, while other geometry does not.”
But experts have previously dismissed Mr Hoogerbeets’ claims, saying that there is no way earthquakes can be predicted.
John Bellini, a geophysicist at the US Geological Survey (USGS) has said: “We can’t predict or forecast earthquakes.
“Sometimes before a large earthquake you’ll have a foreshock or two, but we don’t know they’re foreshocks until the big one happens.”
