FAIRFIELD COUNTY, S.C. — Federal and state officials are confirming a relatively minor earthquake that rumbled an area east of the Monticello Reservoir in Fairfield County on Saturday morning.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the magnitude 1.2 earthquake occurred around 4 a.m., about six miles northeast of Jenkinsville. The South Carolina Emergency Management Division also shared this information.
As of 10 a.m., no one had reported feeling the earthquake to the USGS. Magnitude 1.2 falls significantly below what most people can feel, which starts around magnitude 2.5. The map coordinates provided by the USGS also show the relatively isolated epicenter in a wooded area between Cricket Tree Road and Little River.
The Jenkinsville and Monticello Reservoir areas aren't new to seismic activity. Numerous earthquakes have occurred, with epicenters reportedly under the lake or nearby over the years. Further east, the Lugoff and Elgin areas of Kershaw County also have them on a somewhat regular basis.
