Back to forecast
On This Day: The Great Charleston Earthquake of 1886 Rocks The East Coast
August 31, 2020 at 09:07 PM EDT
By WeatherBug's Chris Sayles
One of the most devastating earthquakes rocked the U.S. nearly 140 years ago. The Charleston, S.C., earthquake of 1886 was in a league of its own as it shook the very fabric of the East Coast.
You have probably heard of minor to catastrophic earthquakes shaking the West Coast, but the Great Charleston Earthquake of 1886 was nothing to shrug off. In fact, the East Coast is no stranger to earthquakes thanks to hidden faults along the Eastern Seaboard. However, major earthquakes such as the Charleston earthquake was rarity but not the first, with a magnitude on the Richter scale ranging between 6.9 to 7.3.
The quake began late in the day on August 31, leading to the deaths of 60 people and damages ranging up to $6 million, which would equate to about $156 million today. It was so strong that it was felt as far north as Boston and the New England region and as south as Cuba. The city of Charleston, S.C., had to repair all the near 2,000 buildings in the city, and some even had to be demolished and rebuilt due to the damages sustained. Aftershocks, smaller earthquakes preceding the original, were felt for years after the quake in Charleston and some as strong as 5.0 in magnitude leading to further damage.
Although this may seem unbelievable to occur in such an area, this region has a history of strong earthquakes dating back to prehistoric times. In earth sciences, mountains such as the Appalachians are a clear signal of tectonic activity on the Earth, and nearly 200 million years ago when Pangea, the original supercontinent, broke apart and formed North America. This type of tectonic activity has led to strong earthquakes such as the Great Charleston Earthquake of 1886 over time. However, the fault responsible for this specific earthquake remains a mystery to this day.
Since recording began, the Charleston, S.C., earthquake of 1886 is the largest one in South Carolina history. In fact, this earthquake was the largest and most powerful earthquake in the Eastern U.S.
Sources: USGS
Image: Fissure and a wrecked brick house on Tradd Street, Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston Earthquake of August 31, 1886. (USGS/Wikimedia Commons)
You have probably heard of minor to catastrophic earthquakes shaking the West Coast, but the Great Charleston Earthquake of 1886 was nothing to shrug off. In fact, the East Coast is no stranger to earthquakes thanks to hidden faults along the Eastern Seaboard. However, major earthquakes such as the Charleston earthquake was rarity but not the first, with a magnitude on the Richter scale ranging between 6.9 to 7.3.
The quake began late in the day on August 31, leading to the deaths of 60 people and damages ranging up to $6 million, which would equate to about $156 million today. It was so strong that it was felt as far north as Boston and the New England region and as south as Cuba. The city of Charleston, S.C., had to repair all the near 2,000 buildings in the city, and some even had to be demolished and rebuilt due to the damages sustained. Aftershocks, smaller earthquakes preceding the original, were felt for years after the quake in Charleston and some as strong as 5.0 in magnitude leading to further damage.
Although this may seem unbelievable to occur in such an area, this region has a history of strong earthquakes dating back to prehistoric times. In earth sciences, mountains such as the Appalachians are a clear signal of tectonic activity on the Earth, and nearly 200 million years ago when Pangea, the original supercontinent, broke apart and formed North America. This type of tectonic activity has led to strong earthquakes such as the Great Charleston Earthquake of 1886 over time. However, the fault responsible for this specific earthquake remains a mystery to this day.
Since recording began, the Charleston, S.C., earthquake of 1886 is the largest one in South Carolina history. In fact, this earthquake was the largest and most powerful earthquake in the Eastern U.S.
Sources: USGS
Image: Fissure and a wrecked brick house on Tradd Street, Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston Earthquake of August 31, 1886. (USGS/Wikimedia Commons)