The great ShakeOut earthquake drill comes April 28

Earthquake Drill

For most, having an Earthquake drill in South Carolina seems a bit out of the ordinary, but the threat is all too real and the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut aims to educate the masses of just what to do in case of an earthquake.

On Thursday, April 28, area businesses, schools, and government offices will take part in The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut. (To find out who is participating in this event in South Carolina, visit the participants page.)

The last earthquake to hit South Carolina was on March 21 in Chesterfield County. According to the South Carolina Seismic Network, the 2.9-magnitude quake was one of six earthquakes of magnitude 2.0 or greater in the state in the past two years.

The most damaging earthquake to occur in the Southeast United States and one of the largest historic shocks in Eastern North America occured in Charleston on September 1, 1886, with a magnitude 7.3.

Mapped faults & shear zones that run through South Carolina include the Brevard fault zone, the Pax Mountain fault system, the Eastern Piedmont fault system, the Georgia rift zone, & the Helena Banks fault. 70% of the state's earthquakes occur in its Coastal Plain.

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