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A spokesperson with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary confirmed shortly after 7 p.m. that the loud boom that shook houses in the St. John's area was the result of a controlled blast at the city dump.

The spokesperson said a blasting company called Newfoundland Hard Rok conducted the controlled blasts, and they were under the understanding that city officials were aware it would be happening.

Earlier story:

Multiple reports of a large boom that shook houses around St. John’s and area are being reported to media and police Saturday evening.

Social media posts report a large booming sound and shaking houses from the east end to Cowan Heights but authorities are at a loss to explain it.

The RNC and St. John’s Regional Fire Department are investigating and more information will be provided as it becomes available.

Authorities at St. John's International Airport confirmed all planes are accounted for and said they are not aware of any fighter jets or anything of that nature scheduled to fly over that would result in a sonic boom.

Stephen Halchuck, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, said their instruments did pick up a noticeable signal at 6:07 p.m. St. John's time but he confirmed it was not an earthquake.

"I do see a signal on our instrument at St. Johns, Newfoundland but it doesn’t look like an earthquake signal. This could be a recording of the boom. The sound waves could have gotten transferred into the ground and recorded on our seismometer which is designed for locating earthquakes in the ground. It recorded something but I’m pretty certain it was not an earthquake...It could have been any number of things. It doesn’t look like it was an earthquake signal although it does look like something occurring at 6:07 p.m. local time in St. John's."

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