M2.6 Earthquake 4 km SW of Summit, South Carolina — May 31, 2021
2021-05-31 22:53:24 UTC (2021-05-31) · approx. 5:53 PM UTC-5 local
Felt by 326 people across surrounding communities.
On May 31, 2021 at 22:53 UTC, a magnitude 2.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 4 km SW of Summit, South Carolina, at a depth of 1.7 km and coordinates 33.8922°, -81.4483°. This earthquake was detected by 16 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 242, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 2.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 108 kg of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 36 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in South Carolina, a region characterized by the Middleton Place-Summerville Seismic Zone near Charleston, site of the destructive 1886 M7.3 earthquake. View all earthquakes in South Carolina.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 326 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-81.4483°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 2.6 earthquake near Summit, South Carolina?
The magnitude 2.6 earthquake that struck 4 km SW of Summit, South Carolina on May 31, 2021 at 22:53 UTC had a depth of 1.7 km. For context, this was a minor earthquake typically detected only by instruments.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 33.8922°, -81.4483°, which is 4 km SW of Summit, South Carolina. View all earthquakes in South Carolina.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 2.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Has South Carolina had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in South Carolina was the M7.3 Charleston earthquake of August 31, 1886. Today's magnitude 2.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: se60128728). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, May 31, 2021). M2.6 Earthquake 4 km SW of Summit, South Carolina — May 31, 2021. Retrieved September 27, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/se60128728/