Three earthquakes confirmed to have hit close to Columbia in past four days

A powerful earthquake rumbled beneath the Columbia area of South Carolina last Friday. The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed the 2.8 magnitude earthquake, and it was the closest seismic activity has come to Columbia since tremors were confirmed near Cayce on Feb. 17, 2023.

Over the weekend, and at the start of the new week, two more earthquakes were recorded near Irmo, according to the South Carolina Emergency management Division. All three of the recent quakes happened on the Lexington County side of Lake Murray, not far from Saluda Shoals Park, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Geological Survey data shows.

Friday’s tremors were the most powerful — so far — in the series. They were followed by a 2.0 magnitude earthquake at 11:57 p.m. last Sunday, according to the South Carolina Emergency management Division.

Another earthquake, a 1.8 magnitude seismic event, was confirmed by the USGS at 6:44 p.m. Monday.

The three recent earthquakes were recorded at 2.5, 2.25 and 3 miles beneath the surface, respectively, USGS data shows.

Recent earthquakes

The recent seismic activity means that 11 earthquakes have been confirmed in South Carolina this year. Nine of them have been recorded in a two-week span in February.

Prior to this series of tremors near Columbia, there were six consecutive earthquakes recorded in the Lowcountry between Feb. 3 and 12, South Carolina DNR data shows. That includes a Feb. 7 earthquake which was one of the most powerful to hit South Carolina in years.

Late at night on Feb. 7, a 2.9 magnitude earthquake was confirmed near Centerville, according to the USGS. Only a 3.0 magnitude earthquake on Aug. 23, 2025 in the Coronaca area was more powerful than those tremors, USGS data shows.

There were 35 confirmed earthquakes in South Carolina in 2025.

In 2024, there were 30 earthquakes in the Palmetto State, after 28 quakes were recorded in 2023, South Carolina DNR records show.

History of earthquakes in SC

It had been uncommon for earthquakes to hit outside the Midlands area of the Palmetto State, specifically beyond Kershaw County, where 74 earthquakes have been confirmed since the end of June 2022, according to the South Carolina DNR.

That’s also where South Carolina’s most powerful recent earthquakes were recorded on June 29, 2022.

On that day, two earthquakes — one a 3.5 magnitude and the other 3.6 — were included in a flurry of tremors and aftershocks. Those were the two largest quakes to hit South Carolina in nearly a decade. A 4.1-magnitude quake struck McCormick County in 2014.

Anyone who felt tremors and shaking or heard rumbling from Friday’s, Sunday’s or Monday’s earthquakes can report it to the USGS.

The most recent earthquakes mean at least 178 have been detected in the Palmetto State since the start of 2022, according to South Carolina DNR. All but 59 of the quakes have been in the Midlands.

In all, 124 earthquakes have hit the Columbia area since a 3.3-magnitude quake was recorded Dec. 27, 2021, according to the DNR.

The S.C. Emergency Management Division said the majority of the recent earthquakes were classified as a micro quakes, according to the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale.

No major damage or injuries have been reported from the recent seismic activity or any of the other recent quakes.

Earthquakes that register 2.5 magnitude or less often go unnoticed and are usually recorded only by a seismograph, according to Michigan Technological University. Any quake less than 5.5 magnitude is not likely to cause significant damage, the school said.

It had been typical for South Carolina to have between six and 10 earthquakes a year, the S.C. Geological Survey previously reported. There have been 192 earthquakes in South Carolina since Jan. 18, 2021, according to DNR. During a 2022 town hall to address the earthquakes, state geologist Scott Howard said as many as 200 smaller tremors might have gone unnoticed and unrecorded.

Reported earthquakes in SC 2025-26

This story was originally published February 17, 2026 at 11:24 AM with the headline "Three earthquakes confirmed to have hit close to Columbia in past four days."

Noah Feit

The State

803-771-8435

Noah Feit is a Real Time reporter with The State focused on breaking news, public safety and trending news. The award-winning journalist has worked for multiple newspapers since starting his career in 1999. Support my work with a digital subscription