Small earthquake reported south of Summerville

By David Kennard
dkennard@journalscene.com

A minor earthquake recorded near Ladson on Thursday morning was the third small quake recorded in the same area within the last three months, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The 1.4 magnitude earthquake shook the ground at 7:05 a.m. just east of Dorchester Road at the Golf Club at Wescott Plantation, according to the agency’s earthquake map.

Thursday’s earthquake comes after three other tremors reported this fall near Edisto Island and Summerville.

A minor earthquake was reported Thursday in a neighborhood in Ladson. Contributed Photo/USGS.

On Oct. 1 a 1.9 magnitude earthquake was detected about 4:02 p.m. close to Fort Dorchester Elementary School near Dorchester Road. That quake followed a 1.7 tremor recorded a day earlier just down the road near Wescott Park.

Tremors less than 2.0 magnitude usually are not felt.

No injuries were reported.

Coincidentally, both happened at about the same time as earthquake incidents across the country in California.

Today’s quake in Ladson preceded a powerful magnitude 6.5 earthquake that rocked the Northern California coast. The quake occurred about 100 miles off the coast of Eureka, near the Oregon border, around 9:49 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Similarly, the quakes in October came as California was preparing for a large quake predicted by seismologists.

That quake never materialized.

Locally, earthquakes occur most often in the Charleston area, meaning the most recent quake is not that uncommon, with 10-15 quakes below magnitude 3 shaking the Lowcountry each year.

The 7.3 magnitude quake that hit Charleston in 1886, however, remains the most powerful quake to ever hit the East Coast.