Second earthquake of the day confirmed in Columbia area
For the third time in 2022, and the second time Wednesday, an earthquake hit the Midlands.
A 1.5 magnitude earthquake, or aftershock, was confirmed near Lugoff at 8:18 a.m., according to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division.
The quake that the U.S. Geological Survey said occurred at a depth of 7 kilometers, or about 4.5 miles, was recorded hours after a more powerful earthquake hit the area.
A 2.6 magnitude earthquake was recorded near Lugoff at 1:45 a.m.
On Monday, a 2.5 magnitude earthquake was reported in the same area by the USGS.
In all, 10 earthquakes have hit the Columbia area since Dec. 27, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
Anyone who felt the earthquake can report it to the USGS. More than 350 people confirmed to the USGS that they felt tremors from the first earthquake of the day.
No major damage or injuries have been reported from any of the 10 recent quakes.
Earthquakes that register 2.5 magnitude or less often go unnoticed and are usually only recorded by a seismograph, according to Michigan Technological University. Any quake less than 5.5 magnitude is not likely to cause significant damage, the school said.
It is typical for South Carolina to have between six and 10 earthquakes a year, the S.C. Geological Survey previously reported. There have been 33 earthquakes in South Carolina since Jan. 18, 2021, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
There were at least 11 earthquakes recorded by the USGS in South Carolina in 2020.
Following Wednesday’s activity, 23 earthquakes have been recorded since Sept. 27 in the Palmetto State, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
Of the the earthquakes confirmed in South Carolina since the start of 2021, 21 occurred in the Midlands, S.C. Department of Natural Resources data shows.
Reported earthquakes in SC in 2021-22
Date/Location | Magnitude | Depth (km) |
Jan. 18/Dalzell | 2.1 | 6.9 |
Feb. 13/Summerville | 2.1 | 5.1 |
May 12/Heath Springs | 1.8 | 9.99 |
May 31/Summit | 2.6 | 1.7 |
May 31/Summit | 2.0 | 5.1 |
July 16/Ladson | 2.0 | 4.0 |
July 22/Ladson | 1.3 | 3.5 |
July 22/Ladson | 1.95 | 3.97 |
Aug. 21/Centerville | 1.75 | 1.97 |
Aug. 21/Centerville | 1.71 | 3.37 |
Sept. 27/Summerville | 2.8 | 6.0 |
Sept. 27/Summerville | 2.0 | 5.8 |
Sept. 27/Centerville | 3.3 | 6.8 |
| Oct. 25/Jenkinsville | 2.2 | 3.8 |
| Oct. 26/Jenkinsville | 1.8 | 0.0 |
| Oct. 28/Jenkinsville | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| Oct. 28/Jenkinsville | 1.7 | 0.0 |
| Oct. 28/Jenkinsville | 2.1 | 4.2 |
| Oct. 31/Jenkinsville | 2.3 | 0.1 |
| Nov. 1/Jenkinsville | 2.0 | 5.1 |
| Nov. 9/Centerville | 1.5 | 3.8 |
| Nov. 16/Arial | 2.2 | 5.4 |
| Dec. 20/Ladson | 1.1 | 2.8 |
| Dec. 27/Lugoff | 3.3 | 3.2 |
| Dec. 27/Lugoff | 2.5 | 2.4 |
| Dec. 27/Elgin | 2.1 | 0.7 |
| Dec. 27/Elgin | 1.7 | 4.9 |
| Dec. 29/Elgin | 2.3 | 1.6 |
| Dec. 30/Elgin | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Dec. 30/Elgin | 2.4 | 3.8 |
| Jan. 3/Lugoff | 2.5 | 2.7 |
| Jan. 5/Lugoff | 2.6 | 0.5 |
| Jan. 5/Lugoff | 1.5 | 7.0 |
BEHIND THE STORY
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This story was originally published January 5, 2022 at 12:19 PM.
