Another earthquake rattles the SC Midlands, after a recent flurry of seismic activity

Another earthquake has hit the South Carolina Midlands.

A 1.2 magnitude earthquake was recorded in the early hours of Saturday morning near Jenkinsville in Fairfield County, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The temblor hit about 4 a.m., the South Carolina Emergency Management Division said.

The earthquake happened about 5 miles beneath Earth’s surface, according to the USGS. No injuries or damage have been reported.

The tremors marked the eighth confirmed earthquake in South Carolina so far this year. In March, there was a flurry of seismic action near the Elgin in Kershaw County, with five quakes hitting the area.

About 28 quakes were recorded in South Carolina in 2023, according to the state Department of Natural Resources, and 125 earthquakes in South Carolina since Jan. 18, 2021. The state previously averaged about six to 10 annually, according to the S.C. Geological Survey.

While earthquakes under a 2.5 magnitude often go unnoticed, anyone who felt shaking or heard rumbling can report it to the USGS.

Why the increase in earthquakes? Some experts have theorized there’s a link between the Wateree River and the earthquakes northeast of Columbia, but no one has settled on the single cause for the Midlands’ shaking. Still, officials don’t believe the spate of minor earthquakes is an indicator that a bigger quake could be on the way.

“Though the frequency of these minor earthquakes may alarm some, we do not expect a significantly damaging earthquake in South Carolina at this time, even though we know our state had them decades ago,” South Carolina EMD Director Kim Stenson previously said in a news release.

This story was originally published April 6, 2024 at 10:47 AM.

Alexa Jurado

The State

Alexa Jurado is a news reporter for The State covering Lexington County and Richland County schools. She previously wrote about the University of South Carolina and contributes to this coverage. A Chicago suburbs native, Alexa graduated from Marquette University and previously wrote for publications in Illinois and Wisconsin. Her work has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists, the Milwaukee Press Club and the South Carolina Press Association.