Weather News

Minor earthquake hits outside small SC town

The South Carolina town of Bethune was shaking it Saturday morning.

An earthquake struck at about 5:55 a.m. seven miles west of the town, according to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division and the United States Geological Survey.

The quake registered 2.2 on the Richter scale. No damage or injuries have been reported.

Most people likely did not feel the earthquake, as the ones that register 2.5 magnitude or less often go unnoticed and are only recorded by a seismograph, according to Michigan Technological University. Any quake less than 5.5 magnitude is not likely to cause significant damage.

People can report feeling the earthquake at the United States Geological Survey’s website.

Bethune is a town of about 300 people in northeastern Kershaw County, according to the Census. The town is about an hour away from Columbia and 30 minutes away from Camden.

This story was originally published July 25, 2020 at 9:50 AM.

David Travis Bland
The State
David Travis Bland is The State’s editorial editor. In his prior position as a reporter, he was named the 2020 South Carolina Journalist of the Year by the SC Press Association. He graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2010. Support my work with a digital subscription
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