Earthquake rattles mining town of Esterhazy, Sask.

People in Esterhazy received a rude awakening Tuesday. A minor earthquake shook the ground in the area just after 7 o'clock. Earthquakes Canada says the magnitude 3.4 quake was centered 9 kilometers east, northeast of the town, and was about a kilometer in depth. The federal agency says the quake was likely caused by mining activity. Mosaic operates a potash mine in the area. Last year, the same region experienced three earthquakes, two of which were within three months of each other. A seismologist says these events have been happening in the Esterhazy area for decades. Generally they're in the twos and threes. We also record some lower magnitude events in the region but what I see from our earthquake And seismic catalog is above about a magnitude 2.8. The events seem to be felt. Mosaic says its facilities are engineered with seismic events in mind. And the most recent event happened far from current mining areas, posing no immediate safety concerns. Mosaic says all employees have been accounted for and safety checks have been completed. We spoke with a hotel manager who was at work during the earthquake. Derek Lim says each time one happens, it can be a frightening event. It feels like it's happening every year, and now it's a little scary, you know. And as a hotel manager, especially like worry about the safety, our guests, staff. The Mayor of Esterhazy acknowledges that these seismic events happen often, but Randy Bott says Mosaic has consistently made the effort to communicate, inform and update the town when they occur. He says the mining industry is an important part of the community, but public safety will always remain the number one priority. Alia Marko-Omene, CBC News, Regina.