Welcome to the Charleston, South Carolina earthquake homepage. Fire, storm, flood, and earthquake have been Charleston's lot throughout her long life. Earthquakes in the eastern North America are still trying to be explained. Many scientist believe that transform faults that off-set the mid-Atlantic Ocean spreading centers. The transform faults continue as great fracture zones. Charleston sits along the Blake fracture zone. It is hypothesized that the fracture zones continue beneath the North American continent, where there would be linear trends of weakness. The ongoing westward spreading of the North Atlantic plate could cause earthquake producing movements on the fracture zones beneath the eastern North America. To find out more about other fracture zones and mid-Atlantic spreading, click here.
In the mid-1800s, Charleston was a hotbed of secessionist fervor. Coping with the Civil War and hurricanes were no match for what was to come on the 31 of August in 1886. An earthquake of extreme power ravaged the town. The earthquake was of unexpected size in such an out-of-the-ordinary location. Even today, the 1886 Charleston earthquake is one the most famous ever recorded on the eastern part of the United States. It was felt over a large area. Click here to find out more about the 1886 earthquake.
What is to come of Charleston? Is the danger over, or can the people expect another 1886 earthquake. What protection can be taken? Here is our summary of the USGS report on the earthquake hazard in South Carolina.
Here are some other Cool Links and our Team Assignments.
