If you didn't already know, Charleston, SC had an earthquake in 1886! However, this wasn't just a normal earthquake, Charleston had the largest earthquake to EVER occur in Southeastern United States! The earthquake was estimated to have been up to 7.3 on the Richter scale and destroyed cities miles and miles away!
Background Information
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| Damage seen by the Great Earthquake of 1886 (taken on the south side of Broad Street) |
Tuesday, August 31st, 1886, around 9:51 PM, sleeping Charlestonians were awaken by sudden and violent shaking. In minutes, this shaking led to catastrophic damage! Although the epicenter of the earthquake was in Summerville, SC (almost 25, miles away), Charleston saw the most damage.Numerous homes/buildings were destroyed and there were deaths of more than 100 people! The earthquake was even felt and damaged buildings as far East as Bermuda. The total cost of damage in Charleston alone $5 million ($12 million in today's money). The money was spent to do repairs such as install earthquake bolts or fix damaged waterways.
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| Earthquake Intensities by County |
How Do We Know That Charleston is in Danger of Another Earthquake?
Charleston is located on one of the most an active fault systems in the Eastern United States (known as the Middleton Place Summerville Seismic Zone). Charleston is likely to have another earthquake in the future. According to geologists, there is an 40%-60% chances of a 6+ magnitude (on Richter scale) earthquake somewhere in the Eastern United States in the next 30 years.
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What If It Happened Today? (Hazards and Risks)
If Charleston had an earthquake like the one in 1886, the damage would be disastrous! This is because Charleston is a historic city which includes many old buildings that would crumble, and since there are many more people living in Charleston now than in 1886, there would be a vast number of fatalities (the falling debris from old buildings would kill many people). Fires will also occur and burn down buildings and add even more damage from the earthquake. Furthermore, Charleston is built on artificial fill which consists of mud, brick, and unconsolidated sandy material. This material would not be stable enough to withstand the tremendous forces of seismic waves during an earthquake making it prone to liquefaction causing buildings to sink and topple.
Here is a video about the Great Earthquake of 1886:
Here is an article from a witness describing their first-hand experience:
References:
The Charleston County Public Library
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