Most people don't think of South Carolina as an earthquake zone. But, it is. Seismic activity above 2.0 on the Richter scale has been measured more than 70 times since 1973 -- and this leaves out many of the lesser tremors that get measured by gauges but which humans tend not to notice. And, of course, the more history minded of our readers will know that the 1886 Charleston Earthquake was the largest east coast earthquake felt since the time that Europeans began wandering our continent. The 1886 quake caused a 20 foot wave in the Beaufort River -- or so local lore has it. Look at images of the devastation caused by the 1886 quake in our neighbor to the northeast, Charleston.
The South Carolina Earthquake Education and Preparedness (SCEEP) program is designed to heighten awareness and promote earthquake safety education among both the general public and county/local government officials through outreach, education, and research. Because significant earthquakes occur both in the Charleston/Summerville area (e.g., the 1886 Charleston earthquake) and throughout the rest of South Carolina (e.g., the 1913 M ~ 5 Union County earthquake; two M 3.5-4.0 earthquakes near Cheraw, SC in September 2006), SCEEP will examine earthquake hazards on a statewide basis.
Check out these links from the South Carolina Earthquake and Awareness Program. For information about specific earthquakes felt within South Carolina, use this link.
No comments:
Post a Comment