Series of small quakes shake near South Carolina capital

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The sixth earthquake in four days registered Thursday morning in a South Carolina town, officials said.

Thursday’s 2.5 magnitude quake happened at 7:11 a.m. near the town of Elgin, about 25 miles northwest of South Carolina’s capital city of Columbia. It was the latest in a series of low-magnitude tremors that began Monday, Dec. 27.

The fifth quake registered Wednesday morning in South Carolina, officials said. Wednesday’s was a 2.4 magnitude quake whose center was also near Elgin. It happened at 4:12 a.m.

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A series of mild earthquakes rumbled across central South Carolina on Monday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, rattling windowpanes and disrupting wildlife but causing no apparent injuries or major damage.

At about 2:30 p.m Monday, a 3.3-magnitude quake registered in Kershaw County near Elgin. It occurred at a depth of 2 miles, officials said.

As the earthquake rumbled, with a sound similar to a heavy construction vehicle, it shook homes, caused windows to clatter in their frames and provoked dogs to bark.

USGS confirming a third #earthquake centered near Elgin, South Carolina. This one, a 2.1 magnitude occurring at 6:22 this evening (12/27/21. More info: #sctweets https://t.co/afcfP4f1mf pic.twitter.com/RxSnJD0GeN
— SCEMD (@SCEMD) December 28, 2021

People reported feeling tremors throughout the Columbia area and as far away as Lexington, about 40 miles southwest of the epicenter, the U.S. Geological survey said. To the northeast, the earthquake was apparently felt at least as far away as Camden, about 18 miles, with some scattered reports ranging even farther.

About three hours later, a quake with a magnitude of 2.5 struck in the same area as the first, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Just before 6:30 p.m., a third earthquake of 2.1 magnitude was confirmed.

More than two dozen earthquakes have been reported in South Carolina this year, according to federal officials.

Earlier this year, the area near Jenkinsville, about 38 miles west of Monday’s tremors, registered six small earthquakes in over a week, with three quakes registered on a single day alone.

State officials are still studying that spate of seismic activity.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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