Earthquakes continued to rumble in South Carolina with eight recorded in the past week

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A minor earthquake, the first of 2022 in the state, hit South Carolina early Monday morning and was the eighth to hit the state last week.

The earthquake occurred around 6 am on Monday, with a magnitude of 2.5 and a depth of six kilometers. It was reported near Elgin, which is about 25 miles northeast of the capital of South Carolina, Columbia.

The state felt about two dozen minor earthquakes last year, and the South Carolina Department of Emergency Management said the state averages about 20 earthquakes annually.

Over the past week, eight people felt their magnitudes ranged from 1.7 to 2.5 on the Richter scale after a 3.3-magnitude earthquake was reported near Elgin on Dec. 27, and two smaller quakes were felt later in the day.

The 3.3-magnitude earthquake reportedly shook houses’ windows in their frames and several residents reported that it looked like a large construction vehicle. None of the earthquakes caused any major damage to buildings or injuries.

The US Geological Survey reports that residents felt the effects of the December 27 earthquake in Lexington, 40 miles southwest of the epicenter. About three hours after the initial tremors, people felt another earthquake of magnitude 2.5 in the same area, and later that evening, another earthquake of magnitude 2.1 was reported.

Earthquakes of less than 2.5 are not felt by many on the surface. They are the most common type in South Carolina. Earthquakes less than 5.5 do not pose a significant damage risk.

The state has also been hit by storms and high winds in recent days, which environmental officials say still likely pose a greater threat of causing damage or injury than the small earthquakes typically experienced in the state, according to The State.

Monday morning’s earthquake is also the 21st since September 27 in the state.

Exterior view of a South Carolina home in Columbia. The state felt its eighth minor quake in the past week, after a 2.5-magnitude quake was recorded on Monday morning. Epics / Getty Images

Elgin lies along a large fault system that stretches from Georgia through Carolina to Virginia, said Stephen Jaume, a professor in the Department of Geology at the College of Charleston.

Although this series of tremors comes in quick succession, clusters often occur.

Last year, the area near Jenkinsville—about 38 miles (61 kilometers) west of this cluster of tremors—recorded six small earthquakes in more than a week, with three recorded in just one day.

State officials are still studying that wave of seismic activity.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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