Several powerful quakes occurred in the beginning of May 2017 as a result of the mining in Malmberget and Kiruna.
The first was registered just before five o'clock in the morning in the Kiruna mine and had a magnitude of 2.2 at the local scale used by LKAB. The quake occurred at 1 100 meters deep.
The next quake occurred at 08.44 at 552 meters deep in Malmberget and measured 2.4. The guakes were strong and were felt noticeable by inhabitants in those two towns.
Fleeing the quakes
In June 2010 the municipal council decided that the town would be moved 3 kilometers eastwards in the direction of Tuolluvaara, instead of the earlier proposed northwestern location. The moving of the town was started in 2014 and it is expected to be finished by 2100.
Billed as “the most democratic move in history”, the project has been allocated 3.74bn Swedish kronor by the mining company for building new facilities, including a high school, fire station, community centre, library and swimming hall. But top of most people’s concerns is where they will actually live, and what process will determine the housing allocation.
