Late night earthquake was the third of the day to hit the Columbia area
A late night earthquake was the third to hit the Columbia area Tuesday, as the recent trend of seismic activity continued in the Midlands.
A 1.3 magnitude earthquake, or aftershock, was confirmed near Elgin at 11:29 p.m., according to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division.
The earthquake that was recorded at a depth of 5 kilometers, or about 3 miles, was the seventh in South Carolina since the start of the new year, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Six of the quakes have been in the Midlands.
The late night earthquake followed a succession of seismic activity recorded in less than 24 hours in Kershaw County.
A 1.7 magnitude earthquake was confirmed near Elgin at 12:31 a.m., according to the USGS.
Exactly eight hours later, the USGS said tremors from a 2.0 earthquake were felt near Lugoff at 8:31 a.m.
In all, 13 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.
No major damage or injuries have been reported from any of the 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 37 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 Tuesday’s activity, 27 earthquakes have been recorded since Sept. 27, 2020 in the Palmetto State, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.
Of the earthquakes confirmed in South Carolina since the start of 2021, 24 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 |
| Jan. 9/Ladson | 1.4 | 2.9 |
| Jan. 11/Elgin | 1.7 | 5.4 |
| Jan. 11/Lugoff | 2.0 | 3.2 |
| Jan. 11/Elgin | 1.3 | 5.0 |
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