First earthquake of 2022 in South Carolina felt near Columbia on Monday

Tamia Boyd, Greenville News

A 2.5-magnitude earthquake was felt Monday in the middle of South Carolina and is the first earthquake in the state this year after a string of earthquakes were detected in the same area last week.

At 5:49 a.m., Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey detected the earthquake's epicenter south of Lugoff, around a two-hour drive from Greenville. The earthquake was originally measured as a 2.7-magnitude earthquake but was later updated to 2.5.

Just days ago, a string of seven other earthquakes were felt, the largest being a 3.3-magnitude earthquake near Lugoff on Dec. 27. The others had lower magnitudes but were reported in the same area of the Midlands.

More: 7 earthquakes detected near Columbia this week, highest magnitude was 3.3

  • A 2.4-magnitude earthquake was detected at 2:11 p.m. Friday near Elgin with a depth of around 1.8 miles.

  • A 2.5-magnitude earthquake was detected at 7:11 a.m. Thursday near Elgin with a depth of around 300 ft.

  • A 2.3-magnitude earthquake was detected at 4:12 a.m. Wednesday near Elgin with a depth of close to four miles.

  • A 2.5-magnitude earthquake was detected at 5:38 p.m. Monday near Lugoff with a depth of around 1.5 miles.

  • A 2.1-magnitude earthquake was detected at 6:22 p.m. Monday near Elgin with a depth of around 0.4 miles.

  • A 1.7-magnitude earthquake was detected at 10:03 p.m. Monday near Elgin with a depth of around three miles.

The last earthquake with a magnitude higher than 3.0 reported in the state was on Sept. 9, 2021 with a 3.3-magnitude earthquake near Charleston, according to the USGS.

Another string of earthquakes happened late in 2021 near Jenkinsville, South Carolina, according to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division. None of them caused any damage, according to the USGS.

Related: 7 earthquakes in SC in 7 days is evidence of release of geological stress, USGS says

Most earthquakes occur on the edges of tectonic plates, but what has gone on here in South Carolina are intraplate earthquakes, which occur within the interior of a plate, according to the USGS. The closest plate margin to the state is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

And like the others, there is not a cause for concern, according to USGS.

"It's not unusual, we see this sort of thing anywhere in the United States. But for the people close by feeling the earthquakes it's out of the ordinary perhaps," according to Don Blakeman geophysicist at the National Earthquake Center.

For earthquakes these sizes, no damages will be shown, according to Blakeman.

"It takes about a magnitude-4 to start seeing damage like knocked off shelves. We typically don't see structural damage to buildings in the United States until like a magnitude-5," Blakeman said.

An interactive map from the United States Geological Survey shows where eight earthquakes were detected in as many days near Columbia.
An interactive map from the United States Geological Survey shows where eight earthquakes were detected in as many days near Columbia.

Tamia Boyd is a Michigan native who covers breaking news in Greenville. Email her at tboyd@gannett.com, and follow her on Twitter @tamiamb.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina's first earthquake of 2022 felt near Columbia on Monday