Four earthquakes hit the Columbia area over several hours Monday, USGS confirms

In less than eight hours Monday, four earthquakes were confirmed in the Columbia area. And one of them matched the most powerful quake recorded in South Carolina this year.

More than 3,000 people reported feeling tremors from the 3.3 magnitude earthquake that shook the Midlands at 2:18 p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake recorded near Lugoff was close to the surface, at a depth of 0.5 kilometers, or about a third of a mile, the USGS said.

That earthquake, along with another one in the Lowcountry on Sept. 27, are the most powerful quakes recorded in South Carolina this year.

Monday’s powerful quake was followed by three more earthquakes, potential aftershocks, that were all recorded by about 10 p.m.

A 2.5-magnitude earthquake hit also hit Lugoff area at 5:38 p.m., according to the USGS. This second earthquake was recorded at a depth of 2.4 kilometers.

Less than an hour later, at 6:22 p.m., the third earthquake of the day was confirmed by the USGS. A 2.1 magnitude quake hit closer to the surface, 0.7 kilometers, in the nearby Elgin area, according to the USGS.

At 10:03 p.m., the weakest of the four quakes was confirmed in the Elgin area. A 1.7-magnitude quake was recorded at a depth of 4.9 kilometers, by far the deepest impacts of Monday’s earthquakes. The decrease in magnitude and greater depth might be factors why only 17 people reported feeling the last quake to the USGS.

The four earthquakes continued a busy year for seismic activity in South Carolina. There have been 27 confirmed earthquakes in the Palmetto State in 2021, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

No major damage or injuries have been reported from Monday’s 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 reported. There were at least 11 earthquakes reported by the USGS in South Carolina in 2020.

Following Monday’s activity, 17 earthquakes have been recorded since Sept. 27 in the Palmetto State, according to the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.

Just a week ago, another earthquake was confirmed in South Carolina. A 1.1-magnitude quake was recorded in the Lowcountry, near Charleston County, last Monday, according to the USGS.

Reported earthquakes in SC in 2021

This story was originally published December 28, 2021 at 7:49 AM with the headline "Four earthquakes hit the Columbia area over several hours Monday, USGS confirms."

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