What was the strongest earthquake to hit South Carolina?

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WBTW) — Did you feel that?

Although some of its flat terrain suggests otherwise, South Carolina is actually a hotbed for seismic activity.

The state experiences 10 to 20 earthquakes a year, according to the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, but only two or five can be felt. The earthquakes tend to be mild, hitting a magnitude of 3 — just about enough to be felt, but not enough to knock items off shelves — the large majority of the time.

However, when they’re bit, they big.

On Aug. 31, 1886 an earthquake that hit the Summerville/Charleston area lasted about a minute and was felt more than 2.5 million square miles away. The 7.3 magnitude quake killed 60 people and is one of the most intense to hit the southern U.S. in recorded history.

While there hasn’t been a similarly damaging earthquake in the area since, quakes of the same magnitude have been included in oral histories, according to the SCEMD.

Charleston, which is on a fault line, is one of the most seismically active places on the East Coast.

To prepare for future quakes, SCEMD recommends checking homes for dangers. It recommends securing shelves to walls, placing breakable items in closed cabinets with latches and removing heavy items from areas around where people sleep.

Families should identify safe places in their home and conduct practice drills.

During an earthquake, people should drop and take cover underneath a table or other piece of sturdy furniture. Stay there until shaking stops. If in bed, people should protect their heads with a pillow.

We’ve compiled a list of the most intense earthquakes to strike the Palmetto State. Information was gathered from the U.S. Geological Survey, along with historical record:

10. Oct. 27, 1959

Location: 6 km northeast of McBee

Magnitude: 3.9

9. Nov. 11, 2002

Location: 26 km south southeast of Kiawah Island

Magnitude: 4

8. Feb. 15, 2014

Location: 12 km east northeast of Parksville

Magnitude: 4.1

7. Aug. 21, 1992

Location: 1 km northeast of Sangaree

Magnitude: 4.1