ELGIN, S.C. — The area around the town of Elgin, South Carolina has become somewhat of an epicenter for earthquake swarms -- as of Monday, July 25, there have been over 70 minor quakes in the area since December 2021. Because of the unusually high number of rumblers, Elgin Mayor Melissa Brazell Emmons has helped coordinate a town meeting for concerned citizens to discuss the recent earthquakes the community has been experiencing.
The virtual town hall meeting will be livestreamed beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, on the Kershaw County Facebook page and on Kershaw County's YouTube channel and will feature representatives from Kershaw County, South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD), SC Department of Transportation (SCDOT), SC Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), and Duke Energy.
You can send your questions about earthquakes to the panel in advance at EARTHQUAKE@KERSHAW.SC.GOV
Experts with SCEMD have said that although the earthquakes have become frequent, it does not mean that the quakes will become stronger.
The strongest earthquake recorded so far was a 3.6 magnitude quake on June 29, about 1.24 miles east of Elgin at a depth of a tenth of a mile, which is very close to the surface for an earthquake. The US Geological Survey (USGS) tracks earthquakes worldwide and data is available at that site on the Kershaw County quakes.
SCDNR also compiles a history and interactive map of recent earthquakes on the agency's Geological Survey page. The page also has resources including maps, guides, and explainers about earthquakes.