South Carolina Had a Strange Earthquake Felt by Nearly a Thousand

Here's something you won't hear very often. South Carolina had an earthquake Saturday that was strong enough it was felt by nearly a thousand residents according to the USGS.

This earthquake was confirmed by the USGS just east of Elgin, South Carolina at approximately 9:47am eastern time Saturday, March 9, 2024.

This is the map where it was reported felt by the USGS. As of this writing, 938 residents said they felt this shake.

The confirmed magnitude by the USGS was 2.8 and was centered 5 km east of Elgin, South Carolina.

While South Carolina does not regularly have earthquakes, the state does have a history including some massive quakes. According to South Carolina Emergency Management, the state was the center of the largest quake in the eastern United States on August 31, 1886 when a huge 7.3 quake happened. That quake was felt all the way up to New York state. South Carolina is considered one of the most seismically-active states on the eastern seaboard.

If a major 7+ magnitude quake like the one in 1886 happened today, authorities estimate that it would likely cost over 45,000 lives. Fortunately, major quakes in South Carolina have been rare. Hopefully, this relatively minor quake Saturday is an isolated quake and not a foreshock of a major event in the near future.