On Sunday, a series of eight retrograde earthquakes struck Greenwood County, South Carolina, just southwest of Charlotte, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The tremors began at 3:48 a.m. with a 2.4 magnitude quake at a depth of three kilometers, located 6.6 miles north-northeast of Greenwood.
The quakes continued throughout the morning, with magnitudes ranging from 1.8 to 2.5. The largest quake occurred at 10:09 a.m., registering 2.5 magnitude at a depth of 4.6 kilometers near Coronaca, South Carolina. Officials have labeled these events as an earthquake swarm.
All eight earthquakes occurred northeast of Greenwood, affecting the Upstate of South Carolina and positioning the region near Simpsonville. Depths varied, with some quakes occurring near the surface and others deeper underground, between zero to 15 kilometers. The earthquake activity was unexpected, causing local officials to monitor the region closely for further seismic movement.
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?
