A mild earthquake struck western South Carolina on Sunday – the second in two days – sending tremors hundreds of miles across Georgia and at least 12 other states in the East and South.
Sunday's event registered a magnitude of 3.2, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was centered about seven miles west of Edgefield, S.C., or about 20 miles north of Augusta and 150 miles from Atlanta. It occurred a few miles from the epicenter of a magnitude 4.1 earthquake that was recorded Friday night.
There were no initial reports of damage. As they did after Friday's quake, officials at Georgia Power's Plant Vogtle checked for damage Sunday. But the nuclear plant remained in operation and no problems had been found an hour after the quake, said Carol Boatwright, a Georgia Power spokeswoman.
The geological survey said residents near the epicenter reported feeling “moderate” tremors. “Weak” or “light” movement was detected as far north as New York state and as far west as Louisiana.
In Georgia, the geological survey received reports of tremors 180 miles from the epicenter in Rome, as well as in cities that included Atlanta, Albany, Eastman and Athens.
Small earthquakes occur in the Carolinas every year or two, the geological survey said. The largest recorded in the area, with a magnitude of 5.1, occurred in 1916.
The South Carolina earthquake was the 18th recorded Sunday. Nine occurred in the United States – five of them in Alaska. The magnitudes ranged from 2.6 in Puerto Rico to 5.1 in New Guinea.
On Twitter, people who felt the tremors were quick to respond. Many people commented on the region’s devastating ice storm from last week, followed by back-to-back earthquakes.
“Was cool the first time,” one woman wrote. “Now it’s just weird.”
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