Lansford Police will now alert the public in advance of blasting from the mines surrounding the borough.

The social media updates came about after residents on the west side of town were shook by a particularly rumble from the mine Thursday morning.The police department announced the plans in a post on Thursday. They said they have asked the mining company to provide them with information about blasting ahead of time so they can share it with the public.The incident that occurred on Thursday prompted multiple calls to the Lansford Police Department.“The phone lines were blowing up here. People reported feeling their homes shake, people thought part of their chimney fell down,” Police Chief Jack Soberick said.Obviously, blasting and mining operations are nothing new in the Panther Valley, where mining was once a way of life.Today, the blasts are less frequent, and coal companies are required by state law to sound a siren before any blasting — usually about five minutes before.However there’s no requirement to directly notify residents, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.Soberick said there was no warning siren in this case. He recalled how decades ago the coal company would blow a siren before and after blasting.Companies are also required to measure the vibrations felt at the nearest residence.Thursday’s incident occurred around 9 a.m. Residents in the West End of the borough reported hearing a long, rumbling sound and vibration.Police said the effect was caused by a series of detonations known as “shots” that are part of the surface mining operation near the Coaldale Borough line.Soberick said that Lehigh Anthracite has agreed to contact authorities and inform them of when they plan to detonate.“We want to be good partners,” Soberick said. “I don’t want to be down there complaining at the mining operation all the time, but people have a right to know.”