Westerwijtwerd, Netherlands
An exterior view of the 13th-century Maria church in Westerwijtwerd
An exterior view of the 13th-century Maria church in Westerwijtwerd February 24, 2015. Dutch church bells that for centuries have tolled to warn of floods across the low-lying countryside are sounding the alarm for a new threat: earthquakes linked to Europe's largest natural gas field. "Money can buy a lot of things, but a building like this cannot be replaced," said Jur Bekooy, a civil engineer with the Groningen Old Churches Association, pointing to cracks in the ceiling and walls of Maria Church. Long ignored, voices like Bekooy's are being heard as elections loom this month and following a damning report from the independent Dutch Safety Board. It accused the government and the field's operators, Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon Mobil Corp, of ignoring the threat of earthquakes linked to the massive Groningen gas field for years. Picture taken February 24, 2015. REUTERS/Michael Kooren (NETHERLANDS - Tags: RELIGION BUSINESS CONSTRUCTION DISASTER ENERGY)