CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – It was the evening of August 31, 1886, when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake rocked Charleston, causing significant destruction and resulting in more than 60 deaths.
139 years later, the event is noted as the most damaging earthquake in the southeastern United States, with property damage estimated at $5-6 million at the time.
Charleston to Summerville experienced the worst damage; however, the earthquake’s impact extended well beyond the Lowcountry, with structural damage reported across several states, including Alabama, Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia.
It was felt as far away as Boston, Milwaukee, Chicago, Cuba, and Bermuda…