Earthquake hits SC Lowcountry, according to federal geologists

A minor earthquake shook parts of the South Carolina Lowcountry early Saturday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The quake hit about 4 miles south of Ladson, which is on the Charleston County border with Berkeley and Dorchester counties. It registered as 2.0 magnitude, making it a “micro” quake. A micro quake is “generally not felt by people, though recorded on local instruments,” according to Encyclopedia Britannica’s explanation of the Richter Scale.

The Lowcountry was the site of the one of the most devastating earthquakes on the East Coast in history, according to geologists. In 1886, Charleston experienced a quake estimated to have a magnitude of about 7 that killed at least 60 people and heavily damaged the city. Since then, only low-level seismic activity has hit the region.

In December, Columbia and Lexington were shook by a 2.4 magnitude earthquake that caused a loud boom.

David Travis Bland

The State

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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