SC’s Greenwood County.A rare earthquake swarm rocked the area early Saturday, waking residents near Lake Greenwood and shaking residences in Laurens and Greenwood Counties.
The U.S. Geological Survey reports that seven earthquakes with magnitudes ranging from 1.8 to 3.0 occurred between 12:00 and 3:40 in the morning. They all started on the northern shore of Lake Greenwood, along a stretch of the Saluda River.
Strongest Tremors Felt by Hundreds
A2.9 magnitude at 12:17 a.m. and a3.0 magnitude at 12:23 a.m. were the two greatest earthquakes of the first two. Both were felt broadly; the greater earthquake caused more than 200 persons to report trembling.
Residents noticed windows rattling and furniture moving during the back-to-back shocks, but no damage has been reported.
Part of a Larger Pattern
With this most recent swarm, there have been ten earthquakes in the Greenwood region in the last seven days. A 2.2-mag earthquake in Coronaca on Monday, a 1.7-mag earthquake south of Coronaca on Tuesday, and a 2.0-mag earthquake near Ware Shoals on Wednesday were among the previous occurrences.
Although South Carolina isn’t usually thought of as a seismic hotspot, experts point out that the area has seen earthquake activity in the past, notably the Charleston earthquake in 1886, which was among the strongest in American history.
Ongoing Monitoring
Seismologists are still keeping an eye on regional activity. Although they don’t usually portend a bigger earthquake, earthquake swarms can occasionally persist for days or weeks.
The USGS Did You Feel It? system, which tracks the impact and spread of seismic events, encourages those who experienced shaking to report it.
Have you experienced this week’s tremors near Lake Greenwood? Visit SaladaStandard-Sentinel.com to share your opinions and experiences regarding earthquake preparedness.
