Small earthquake shakes Dorchester County, SC.

[dgibby]

A 3.2 earthquake hit Dorchester County, SC, at 6:30AM, EDT, shaking Summerville residents from their beds in what could be termed "A rude awakening", according to the Post and Courier, Charleston's daily newspaper's web site. http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/aug/29/possible-earthquake-shakes-dorchester-county/

I live in Summerville, near Charleston, had just returned to bed after taking the dogs out. I heard a rumbling sound (like thunder) and felt the bed shake for several seconds. We have had several small quakes this year, but this is the first one I've actually felt.

The largest fault line on the East Coast runs through Summerville, and the strongest quake (7.3) to ever hit the South occurred in Sept,1886, partially leveling the city of Charleston.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/states/events/1886_09_01.php, and:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/states/events/1886_09_01.php

Personally, I have always carried earthquake insurance, since the standard homeowners policy does not cover earthquake damage.



:scared:

[imdjh]

1. How much is earthquake insurance in SC?

I've been telling people for four decades that there is a fault which dips in at Charleston, and few people believe me,,,, thinking I suppose that it's one of those fun facts that isn't true.

[dgibby]

6. I have USAA,

and my quake insurance is $132.48. That excludes masonry veneer. Small price to pay for peace of mind.

Check out the links if you haven't already. Largest fault line east of the Mississippi runs right through Charleston, Summerville, Low Country.

[haele]

13. And no one remembers the Great Charleston Quake of 1886

USGS estimated it to be around 7.3 - which was around the same size as the 1992 Landers Quake, for those DU'ers that might remember.
Charleston Quake of 1886 (epicenter was figured to be somewhere just NE of Summerville along the Ashley river):
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/states/events/1886_09_01.php
(Nifty photos in the link) This quake did damage up into Kentucky and Alabama, and almost leveled the town of Charleston - damage evidence was still visible when I last did work there in 1995.

Compare with the Landers quake, which was out near the desert where there wasn't a huge population density, did around 92 million dollars damage, and was felt as far as Boise Idaho (high rise swaying), with actual ground movement felt up into Utah, killed one person from actual quake damage.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/states/events/1992_06_28.php
The latest large, damaging US quake in immediate history, the Loma Prieta or "San Fransisco World Series" quake of 1989 was smaller by a magnitude of 4, and did a huge amount of destruction in the areas of population density along the bay - with the epicenter more than 100 kilometers south of the Bay Area.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/states/events/1989_10_18.php

Helpful tip from a California native - Just make sure you can mitigate quake damage (Foundation re-enforcement, sheer walls, structural beam improvement, bolting down heavy furniture) and your house should be able to ride through anything that's not directly in your neighborhood. If you're out on the road, now - that's another story.

Haele

[Corgigal]

2. what?

I live in Summerville and I didn't feel anything. At least not this time.

[dgibby]

7. Hi, neighbor!

i live in S'ville, but have a Ladson address. I'm off of Miles-Jamison Rd, about 1/4mi. from Fault Line Rd. I definitely felt it, but my dogs and cats ignored the whole thing, no big deal to them. Go figure! I didn't have any damage and my neighbors didn't either, but don't know about anyone else.:hi:

PS: I'm sure glad there was no damage. I just had a new roof put on and new flooring installed, plus painting the whole house.

[mzteris]

3. my ex used to live

just outside of summerville when he was in the Navy - he said there was a "smallish" earthquake when he was there in 1977. It was big enough for him to feel it and to jiggle the pictures on the wall into wonkiness and rattle the dishes.

[dgibby]

8. We are in a very quake active area.

Usually we have many small quakes that we don't even feel, but every once in awhile, we get one that shakes us up a little bit. The largest one I've felt here was a 4.0, and we definitely noticed that one. Of course, these are nothing compared to Calif, but certainly remind us that we live on shaky ground.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. Maybe Mark Sanford's wife finally clocked him

[dgibby]

9. Now there's a great thought!

Actually, she's already clocked him, he's just too stupid to know it. His political career in SC came to a screeching halt when she and the boys moved out of the Governor's Mansion. In fact, the State Ethics Commission is investigating his "travel gate" as I type, and the legislature is meeting in Myrtle Beach, and will decide today whether or not to impeach him.

[TokenQueer]

5. I guess "God" must be trying to communicate with Sanford.

:shrug:

[dgibby]

10. Well, if that's true, "God's" a damn poor shot! n//t

[TokenQueer]

11. What was I thinking? If "God" wanted to communicate with Sanford...

...wouldn't be it more expedient to use traditional channels... like Sarah Palin's Facebook page?

[dgibby]

12. Either that or a personal message from Doug Coe and the "Family"! n/t