Dead tired and heart palpitations every morning: this Dutch village has been suffering from mysterious humming noise for months
In the Oosteindsche Ackers district in Bergschenhoek, residents have been bothered by a mysterious humming sound for months. The sound is not only audible, but according to residents it also causes tangible vibrations that disrupt their daily lives and sleep.
The problem started for one of the residents on February 5, but other residents have been reporting nuisance since November last year, writes RTV Lansingerland . The hum is strongest between 23:00 and 07:00. In the meantime, residents of Bleiswijk and Berkel en Rodenrijs also hear and feel the vibrations and hum.
Residents describe the nuisance as a piercing low tone that can not only be heard, but also felt. “It feels like you are in an airplane when the pressure changes in the cabin,” one of them describes. The vibrations are felt by some in the floor and furniture.
There is also talk of pressure on the ears, heart palpitations and even balance problems. “It feels like I’m constantly losing my balance, just like in an elevator.” Some residents say they can’t sleep because of the vibrations. “It eats up energy. I wake up tired every morning,” says a resident of Bergschenhoek.
Low-frequency sound consists of tones between 20 and 100 Hertz. These tones are often difficult for people to hear, but can be felt as vibrations. This sound can come from large machines, such as factory equipment, fans or transformers. These machines make sounds that can travel through walls and floors, so that people sometimes do not hear them, but can still feel them.
In order to map out the problem, RTV Lansingerland had a sound technician analyze various sound recordings. These were both sound recordings provided by residents and recordings made by the broadcaster itself at various locations and times. The analysis showed that there were clear peaks between 47 Hz and 50 Hz in several fragments, frequencies that correspond to low-frequency sound.
The DCMR, responsible for environmental and noise measurements in the region, confirms that multiple reports of the humming sound have been received. Inspectors have also observed the sound on location in Bergschenhoek. However, the source of the sound is still unknown.
“The cause of humming or low-frequency noise is often difficult to determine and requires further investigation,” DCMR said in a written response to RTV Lansingerland. The service indicates that the reports come from various locations in the area, making it unlikely that there is a single source.
DCMR is now in consultation with the municipality of Lansingerland about the next steps. Residents who experience nuisance are requested to continue to report via the DCMR website. “This is the only way we can process the reports in our systems and store the correct information,” the service said.
Local politics is also closely monitoring the situation. Leon Erwich of Leefbaar 3B indicates that his party has already received several reports and takes the concerns of residents seriously. “We are in talks with DCMR and other parties involved to ensure that action is taken. We understand the frustration and are committed to obtaining clarity about the source of the nuisance,” says Erwich.
This is a story from media partner RTV Lansingerland
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