Rare Swarm of 11 Earthquakes Rattles South Carolina

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South Carolina has just experienced one of it’s most dramatic earthquake swarm in history, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

At least 11 quakes have been recorded over the past 7 days, all centered around Greenwood County – about halfway between Charlotte and Atlanta. The strongest registered a magnitude of 3.0 on the Richter scale and struck most recently, while the others ranged between 1.7 and 2.9.

Several residents reported on social media that the tremors were strong enough to wake them, rattle windows, or knock small items off shelves. However, officials confirmed that no structural damage or injuries were reported.

Earthquakes have been increasing in frequency around the Charlotte region over the past few years. Last year, we experienced the largest earthquake in over 100 years when a 5.1 magnitude quake hit Sparta, NC, and since then, dozens of aftershocks have continued to rattle our state.

According to USGS.gov, “Moderately damaging earthquakes strike the inland Carolinas every few decades, and smaller earthquakes are felt about once each year or two.”

Have you felt any of the quakes?