BUCKSPORT, S.C. — The South Carolina coast experienced a small but notable tremor early Saturday morning when a magnitude 1.9 earthquake struck near Bucksport, a community located between Charleston, South Carolina, and Wilmington, North Carolina.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake occurred at 12:32 a.m. from a depth of about 4.8 kilometers. While weak in intensity, the event is part of a recent string of small earthquakes shaking various states across the eastern United States — including Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Arkansas, Tennessee, and New Jersey — over the past several days.
Earthquakes in South Carolina: A Reminder of Seismic Risk
According to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD), the state experiences roughly 10–15 earthquakes each year, though only three to five are typically felt by residents. Most seismic activity is concentrated in the Middleton Place–Summerville Seismic Zone, historically the site of the most damaging earthquake to strike the eastern U.S.
The 1886 Charleston-Summerville earthquake remains a landmark event in American history, estimated at magnitude 6.9–7.3. That quake caused significant destruction over a 60–100 mile radius, killed 60 people, and inflicted what would be more than $190 million in damages today. Shaking from that event was felt as far away as Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, and even in Cuba and Bermuda.
Minor Quake, No Damage Expected
The USGS notes that quakes under magnitude 2.0 are rarely felt. Events over 2.0 become more noticeable, while significant structural damage generally occurs only when magnitudes exceed 5.5…