SOUTH CAROLINA
Midlands keep shaking as seventh quake is confirmed. Here’s when, where the latest hit.

David Travis Bland
Fri, December 31, 2021

United States seismologists confirmed that the Midlands had its seventh earthquake in four days Thursday afternoon.

The 2.4 magnitude earthquake happened around 2:15 p.m, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Like the six other quakes, its epicenter was near Elgin about 20 miles from Columbia.

The first earthquake in the recent string happened Dec. 27. With magnitudes of 2.5 or less, most of the earthquakes have been minor. Thursday afternoon’s quake was the second of the day. The first occurred about 7 a.m.

Tremors might not even be felt with magnitudes of 2.5 or less though they are picked up by seismic activity detecting devices. But over the last four days people have reported feeling their homes shake and hearing loud booms caused by the quakes.

The first quake on Dec. 27 reached 3.3 magnitude which is still relatively weak, according to seismologists. Anything less than 5.5 isn’t likely to cause damage.

Seismologist say that earthquakes can happen in clusters.

This map from the USGS shows a cluster of earthquakes that have happened in the Midlands in late December.