List of earthquakes in South Carolina
South Carolina earthquakes occur with the greatest frequency along the
Faults in this region are difficult to study at the surface due to thick
Tectonic setting
Earthquakes occur deep within bedrock. Most bedrock beneath the Charleston area was assembled as continents collided to form a supercontinent about 500-300 million years ago, raising the Appalachian Mountains. Most of the rest of the bedrock formed when the supercontinent rifted apart about 200 million years ago to form what are now the southeastern U.S., the Atlantic Ocean, and Africa. Today the Charleston area is far from the nearest plate boundary, which is in the Caribbean Sea.[3]
At
Earthquakes
Charleston earthquake of 1886
An estimated $23 million ($186.51 million in 2023) in damage was caused by one of the great earthquakes in
The August 31, 1886 Charleston earthquake was initially perceived in that city as a barely perceptible tremor, then a sound like a heavy body rolling along; the sound became a roar, all movable objects began to shake and rattle, and the tremor became a rude, rapid quiver. The first shock was at 9:51 p.m. and lasted 35 to 40 seconds. A strong aftershock occurred 8 minutes later. Six additional shocks followed during the next 24 hours. Few buildings escaped damage and many were totally destroyed. Chimneys of at least 14,000 houses were destroyed. The maximum intensity has been estimated at X.
An estimated 60 persons were killed by falling buildings and many more were injured. Within a radius of 160 kilometers (100 mi), the cities of
Two strong
Other quakes
An earthquake of January 26, 1860 at 7 p.m., described as "the severest one felt in many years," was felt throughout the state and as far away as Macon, Georgia.[5]
On January 23, 1903, houses were shaken strongly (intensity VI) in the area of the South Carolina - Georgia border near Savannah. Intensity IV - V effects were noted at Charleston, III - IV at Columbia, and III at Augusta, Georgia.
A moderate shock affected Charleston, Augusta, and Savannah on April 19, 1907. Dishes rattled and objects were thrown from shelves throughout the 26,000 square kilometer area. A somewhat stronger earthquake caused some damage to chimneys (intensity VII) at Summerville on June 12, 1912. The shock was felt at Charleston with intensity VI and also was felt as far as Brunswick and Macon, Georgia; Greenville, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina, an area of about 90,000 square kilometers.
The Union County area was shaken with an intensity VI - VII earthquake about 6 months later (January 1, 1913). At Union, cracks appeared in many brick buildings and many chimneys were damaged. The total felt area, roughly elliptical in shape, covered approximately 111,000 square kilometers.
Another earthquake affected the Summerville area on September 22, 1914. Pictures on walls were displaced (intensity V). The shock was preceded by a noise like a train approaching from a distance. The shock was felt (intensity IV) at Charleston and with less intensity at Augusta, Macon, and Savannah, Georgia, an area of about 78,000 square kilometers.[4]
Pickens County was the apparent center of an October 20, 1924, earthquake which shook most of South Carolina and western North Carolina, northeastern Georgia, and eastern Tennessee. The area affected was approximately 145,000 square kilometers. Highest intensities were reported at Pickens, Walhalla, Brevard, and Hendersonville, North Carolina. Buildings were shaken, and furniture was overturned (intensity V). A loud roar accompanied the shock.
On July 26, 1945, an earthquake centered in the vicinity of Lake Murray, about 50 kilometers west of Columbia, was felt over 65,000 square kilometers, including part of Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee. No damage was noted and only intensity IV - V effects were observed in the epicentral region.
Moderately strong shocks occurred near Charleston on November 19, 1952, August 3, 1959, March 12, 1960, July 23, 1960, and October 23, 1967. The 1959 disturbance caused minor damage (intensity VI) at Charleston, Summerville, and Wadmalaw Island. Chimneys were damaged, plaster cracked and fell, walls cracked, and objects fell from shelves. Cracked plaster was also reported from Columbia, Johns Island, Meggett, and Pierpont in South Carolina and from Augusta, Georgia. The total affected area was about 65,000 square kilometers. The other earthquakes did not exceed intensity V. The epicenter for the March 12, 1960, tremor was off the coast of South Carolina; Augusta, Georgia, and Greensboro, North Carolina, also felt this shock.
Moderate earthquakes also awakened many residents (intensity V) at Anderson on October 20, 1958, and caused minor damage (cracked and fallen plaster - intensity V) at Chesterfield on October 26, 1959. Another shock on April 20, 1964, was felt strongly (intensity V) at Gaston and Jenkinsville. Places in Fairfield, Florence, Lexington, and Richland Counties also reported the tremors. Several windows were broken in Bowman and Orangeburg (intensity V) from a magnitude 3.4 earthquake on May 19, 1971. Two small shocks, about 3 hours apart, were felt in western South Carolina July 13, 1971. The main shock at 7:42 a.m. edt was felt over approximately 5,200 square kilometers, including two places in Georgia. The tremor was felt by all in Newry; many were frightened by the loud Earth noises (intensity VI), hanging objects swung violently, and furniture shifted.[4]
2002 Seabrook Island earthquake
On Monday, November 11, 2002, areas near
Valentine's Day earthquake 2014
On Friday, February 14, 2014 at 10:23 p.m., an earthquake occurred in the midlands of SC. The epicenter was located near Edgefield SC and could be felt all over SC, Georgia, and Western North Carolina. It was reported to have been a 4.1 earthquake, which is rare for South Carolina.[7]
Kershaw County Quakes
In late 2021 and most of 2022, southeastern Kershaw County experienced over 80 earthquakes, 11 of which exceeded a 2.5 magnitude. 6 of the quakes exceeded a 3.0 magnitude, the largest of which registering at a 3.6.[8]
References
- ^ Smith, Nevin. "DHEC answers: Is mining causing the recent earthquakes?". WISTV. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
- ^ (Abridged from Seismicity of the United States, 1568–1989 (Revised), by Carl W. Stover and Jerry L. Coffman, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1527, United States Government Printing Office, Washington: 1993.)
- ^ a b c d "Magnitude 4.4 Seabrook Island, South Carolina 2002". U.S. Geological Survey. July 16, 2008. Retrieved 2011-09-15.
- ^ a b c von Hake, Carl A. (October 21, 2009). "South Carolina Earthquake History". South Carolina Earthquake Information. U.S. Geological Survey. Retrieved 2011-09-15.
South Carolina averages 20 earthquakes a year" says research team from College of Charleston.
- ^ "Earthquake". The Charleston Daily Courier. 1860-01-28. p. 2. Retrieved 2023-08-09.
- ^ South Carolina earthquake. November 12, 2002. WorldNow and WECT.
- ^ Collins, Jeffrey; Adams, Lisa J. (February 14, 2014). "4.1-magnitude quake shakes S.C., Ga". Associated Press.
- ^ "Recent Earthquakes". SCDNR Geological Survey. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
Further reading
- Daniels, Clara; Peng, Zhigang; Wu, Qimin; Ni, Sidao; Meng, Xiaofeng; Yao, Dongdong; Wagner, Lara S.;
External links
- Damage Photos. September 1, 1886. Largest Earthquake in South Carolina. Magnitude 7.3.
- South Carolina Earthquake Information. U.S. Geological Survey
- Earthquakes in South Carolina and Vicinity 1698–2009. U.S. Geological Survey
- The South Carolina Earthquake Guide. From the South Carolina Emergency Management Division