Who is Frank Hoogerbeets, Dutch researcher who predicted earthquakes in Hindu Kush, Turkey?

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake that shattered the homes of thousands of people in Turkey and Syria a few days back -- as well as the recent 6.6 magnitude earthquake that struck Afghanistan's Hindu Kush region had one common factor -- both the events were forecast in advance by the Dutch researcher Frank Hoogerbeets.

On the YouTube page of SSGEOS, Frank Hoogerbeets posted a video “Planetary & Seismic Update March 20 2023”, where he anticipated “some seismic increase, most likely around March 22” after noticing primarily lunar peaks followed by planetary conjunction after the New Moon on March 21. The forecast was mostly true and people all over the world are wondering how the geologist gets it right every time.

In the video, he also talks about how the SSGEOS researchers estimated a very strong to major seismic activity of 7.1 magnitude on March 16 in the Kermadec Islands and a large earthquake, forecast at 6.8 magnitude, near the coast of Ecuador on March 18. Both the predictions were accurate as well.

Hoogerbeets, in an interview with India Today, said that his predictions research was based on planetary movements.

"I do not believe that this is based on the gravitational pull. Many scientists around the world continue to refer to the gravitational pull. We analyse planetary positions. It's not gravitational pull but electromagnetic energy," he said.

All about SSGEOS’ Solar System Geometry Index and Solpage software

Frank Hoogerbeets works for SSGEOS, the Netherlands-based research institute. It has made significant contributions in the field of predictive seismic activity by launching pivotal software like Solpage and SSGI.

The Solar System Geometry Index (SSGI) is the computation of a dataset based on values given to specific geometric positions of the planets, the Moon and the Sun within a specific time frame.

Development of the SSGI started in July 2017. A basic algorithm was completed within two weeks. Since then, it has been revised and extended several times.

Solpage is a software program that computes planetary positions, angles and conjunctions for a given date or time frame. In order to accurately compute the positions of the planets Solpage uses the periodic terms as provided by the VSOP87 solution.

Solpage’s initial version was developed in February 2016 for computing planetary positions, angles and conjunctions. One can assign it with a specific planetary conjunction and the tool shows the next time it will be possible in future. In the following year, the SSGI algorithm was added to its database for increased accuracy of earthquake predictions.

Can earthquakes be predicted?

According to United States Geological Survey (USGS), neither the USGS nor any other scientists have ever predicted a major earthquake. "We do not know how, and we do not expect to know how any time in the foreseeable future," the USGS said. 

"USGS scientists can only calculate the probability that a significant earthquake will occur (shown on our hazard mapping) in a specific area within a certain number of years," it added.
 

Also Read: Strong tremors felt in Delhi-NCR, Jammu & Kashmir, other parts after 6.6 magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan