Earthquakes
Earthquakes are common in South Carolina. Approximately 10 to 15 earthquakes are
recorded annually in South Carolina with 3 to 5 of them felt or noticed
by people. About 70 percent of South Carolina earthquakes are located
in the Middleton Place-Summerville Seismic Zone. The two most significant
historical earthquakes to occur in South Carolina were the 1886
Charleston/Summerville earthquake and the 1913 Union County earthquake. The 1886 earthquake
in Charleston was the most damaging earthquake to ever occur in the eastern
United States. In terms of lives lost, human suffering, and devastation,
this was the most destructive United States earthquake in the 19th century.
Earthquakes in South Carolina have the potential to cause great and sudden loss because devastation can occur in minutes. While there have not been any large scale earthquakes in South Carolina in recent years, a 2001 study entitled, Comprehensive Seismic Risk and Vulnerability Study for the State of South Carolina, confirmed the state is extremely vulnerable to earthquake activity. The study, based on scientific research, provided information about the likely effects of earthquakes on the current population and on contemporary structures and systems, including roadways, bridges, homes, commercial and government buildings, schools, hospitals, and water and sewer facilities. More detailed information can be found in the South Carolina Earthquake Plan and the Comprehensive Seismic Risk and Vulnerability Study for the State of South Carolina (33.6 MB, 609 pgs).
