A series of small earthquakes has continued to rattle South Carolina throughout the start of February. The strongest tremor so far this year struck the Lowcountry late Saturday near Centerville,
according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Geological Survey.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed that a magnitude 2.9 earthquake struck at 10:37 p.m. on
Feb. 7, centered about 3.7 miles south-southeast of Centerville. The quake originated approximately 3 miles below the surface and was felt by residents throughout the Lowcountry.
One resident
shared their home security camera footage on social media, showing a family sitting in their living room, and the whole room shook from the 2.9 magnitude earthquake in Summerville near the Summerville Medical Center.
The Feb. 7 earthquake is the most powerful recorded in South Carolina in nearly six months, according to data from the USGS and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Geological Survey.
The fifth confirmed earthquake in South Carolina this year brought additional shaking early Sunday as the USGS reported a magnitude 1.6 quake at 4:10 a.m. on Feb. 9, centered about 3.9 miles southwest of Ladson, according to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD). “Things are shaking up!”
posted the SCEMD on Monday morning.
Earlier this week, a magnitude 2.3 earthquake was confirmed at 11:24 a.m. on Feb. 3, about 1.8 miles south to southwest of Centerville. Before that, a 2.1-magnitude quake was recorded near Elgin on Jan. 27, following a 2.7-magnitude event in the same Kershaw County area on Jan. 20.
Since the start of 2022, at least 171 earthquakes have been recorded across South Carolina, according to SCDNR data. The majority have struck the Midlands, especially near Elgin and Kershaw County, but recent tremors have also affected the Lowcountry, including Summerville, Ladson, and Centerville.
South Carolina usually sees only six to ten earthquakes annually, but recent years have been different, with 35 quakes confirmed in 2025, 30 in 2024, and 28 in 2023. Most of these were classified as microquakes and had magnitudes below 3.0.
According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Geological Survey, “The Palmetto state has a seismic past and will, no doubt, tremble again as quakes shake the ground beneath our feet.”
The most significant
earthquake in South Carolina’s history struck near Charleston on August 31, 1886, registering a magnitude of 7.3. It remains the largest earthquake ever recorded along the eastern United States seaboard.
The disaster caused widespread destruction, killing 60 people and damaging more than 2,000 buildings, according to the state’s earthquake guide. The tremor was felt from Chicago to Cuba. The 1913 Union County earthquake was recorded as the state's second-largest, with an estimated magnitude of 4.1.
