GREENWOOD COUNTY, S.C. — It turns out that a magnitude 2.2 earthquake that rattled a portion of Greenwood County on Thursday was just a preview of what was to come, as eight more earthquakes rumbled under the same area just days later.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported seven earthquakes near the Coronaca community and one near Cokesbury - all on Sunday. The earthquakes ranged from magnitude 2.5 to 1.5, with several being over magnitude 2. Earthquakes in the magnitude 2.5 range tend to be the threshold for people to feel, and, in this case, only a handful of residents reported feeling the earthquakes aside from a few of the larger ones.
Most of the earthquakes in the region occurred west of Lake Greenwood's northern reaches. A grouping of several earthquakes over a specific period of time is generally referred to as a swarm -- and South Carolina is no stranger to them.
In recent years, the Lugoff and Elgin areas have experienced occasional earthquake swarms, with the largest lasting most of 2022 and nearly 80 earthquakes. The area hasn't been as active in recent years but still rumbles with a small earthquake or two every few months.