Earthquake shakes Yellowknife area

A weak earthquake struck the Yellowknife area on Saturday, shaking the ground but prompting no reports of damage.

The quake, which hit about 11:09 a.m. local time, had a magnitude of 1.0 and was centred six kilometres south of Yellowknife, according to the federal Ministry of Natural Resources, which monitors earthquake activity.

In an internet blog, one resident reported hearing what sounded like an explosion followed by the ground shaking and thought it came from a construction crew blasting rocks.

There have only been 10 earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.0 or stronger in the region since 1980, according to the ministry's website.

The strongest quake on record in the Yellowknife area had a magnitude of 5.0 and struck on Oct. 17, 1924.