Powerful earthquake shakes Columbia area overnight. How it compares to recent ones in SC

Thousands of people reported feeling what scientists have confirmed was one of the most powerful earthquakes to hit South Carolina in years.

A 3.3 magnitude earthquake was recorded near Elgin Monday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake hit at 1:32 a.m., the South Carolina Emergency Management Division said.

Two smaller earthquakes were reported in the same area within four hours of the 3.3 quake, according to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division. The other earthquakes, or aftershocks, followed at 4:39 a.m. (1.6 magnitude), and 5:10 a.m. (1.78 magnitude).

The first earthquake was recorded at a depth of 3.1 kilometers, or about 2 miles, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The trio of earthquakes means there have been 24 in the Palmetto State since the start of 2022, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. All but four of the quakes have been in the Midlands.

This first seismic activity on Monday matches the most powerful earthquake recorded in South Carolina in at least the past three years. On Sept. 27, 2021, a 3.3 magnitude earthquake was confirmed, and another of the same magnitude hit exactly three months later setting off a flurry of more quakes and aftershocks.

Anyone who felt Monday’s earthquake can report it to the USGS. In only a few hours, more than 4,200 people confirmed feeling the shaking.

“My whole hose vibrated,” one person wrote on a Facebook group in the Lower Richland community.

This prompted multiple replies, including several from people who thought the rumbling was military bases being attacked, helicopters flying by at a low level, and even “a tank driving by my house.”

“The room shook for about 15-20 seconds,” another person said in a Facebook post. “I thought I only had to worry about tornadoes, floods, and hurricanes.”

Although there have been so many quakes recorded in the Midlands recently, it’s not something many people can get used to.

“Another earthquake in Elgin last night. It woke me up out of a dead sleep,” a person posted on Facebook.

Someone else had a similar comment, saying “I thought I was dreaming when I heard a big boom and felt my bed shaking. Then seen that one of my pictures fell off of my living room wall. This is the strongest earthquake that I have felt out of all of the ones we’ve had this year. smh.”

This continues a recent trend of seismic activity. Prior to the past day, the most recent incident was on April 22 when two earthquakes were recorded in opposite ends of South Carolina. First a low-level 1.1 magnitude quake rumbled in Ladson in the Lowcountry, and a few hours later a 2.2 magnitude quake was confirmed near Taylors in the Upstate.

In all, 27 earthquakes have hit the Columbia area since the most previous 3.3 magnitude quake was recorded on Dec. 27, 2021, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

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 54 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 Monday’s activity, 45 earthquakes have been recorded since the powerful seismic activity on Sept. 27, 2021, in the Palmetto State, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.

An explanation for the recent outburst has eluded scientists.

Digging and blasting at mines, water seeping through the ground from lakes, or other changes in weight or pressure underground could all contribute to seismic activity, The State previously reported, but no one has settled on the single cause for the Midlands’ shaking.

One of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in South Carolina happened in Charleston on Aug. 31, 1886. The estimated 7.3 magnitude quake killed 60 people and was felt over 2.5 million square miles, from Cuba to New York, and Bermuda to the Mississippi River, according to the Emergency Management Division.

An earthquake scientist at the University of South Carolina said Monday’s quake is not necessarily unusual.

“The 3.29-magnitude earthquake that shook the Midlands Monday morning is the strongest in the region in 2022, but falls well within historical norms for the area,’’ USC geology professor Scott White said.

Reported earthquakes in SC in 2021-22

Staff Writer Sammy Fretwell contributed to this story.

This story was originally published May 9, 2022 at 7:02 AM.

Noah Feit

The State

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Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription