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A strong shake startled residents in Esterhazy on Friday night, sparking fears of an earthquake and setting off a wave of reactions online.
Earthquakes Canada says the tremor was likely caused by underground mining activity, and not an earthquake.
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The tremor struck just after 7:30 p.m., and many in the eastern Saskatchewan town say it was unlike anything they’d felt before.
“We were just sitting on the balcony with friends when everything suddenly shook,” said Leah Gillespie, a longtime Esterhazy resident.
“The deck shifted big time, the house was moving. We actually thought something hit the house or a gas line blew up.”
She says the windows looked like they were bouncing in and out.
“It only lasted a few seconds,” she said, “but it was enough to get our daughter running upstairs in a panic.”
Leah’s husband, who works at a nearby potash mine, immediately suspected the source.
“He called it a tremor, not an earthquake,” she said.
Leah’s mother-in-law Cindy Gillespie had a similar experience while sitting outside on her deck.
“Our chairs shook, and you could see the deck kind of shake… my doggy door has a flap on it, and it flapped,” she said.
“At first we thought someone hit the front of our house with a car.”
Cindy says her sister, working at the local liquor store, saw wine bottles shaking on the shelves.
Others reported feeling the tremor from as far away as Tantallon, roughly 32 kilometres from Esterhazy.
Michal Kolaj, a seismic analyst with Earthquakes Canada, confirmed the event had been logged but is currently labelled a suspected mining event.
“Given the location, this is consistent with previous events in the area tied to underground mining activity,” Kolaj said.
“It might have been something like a rock burst or a pillar collapse inside the mine.”
Kolaj says these types of seismic events are not uncommon in regions with extensive potash operations. Official confirmation usually comes after discussions with the affected mining company.
Residents are encouraged to visit Earthquakes Canada’s website for more information or contact their office with specific questions.
No damage has been reported so far, but for many, the sensation of the earth shifting beneath their feet was more than enough.
“(I have experienced) nothing this big,” said Cindy. “Just a little shake years ago. But not like this.”
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