Seismologist: Greenwood earthquakes ‘not a cause for concern’

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Seismologist: Greenwood earthquakes ‘not a cause for concern’
Dustin George
WSPA Spartanburg
Sun, August 24, 2025 at 3:12 PM EDT
1 min read





GREENWOOD COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – A Saturday morning cluster of earthquakes is not a cause for concern, according to an expert.

Dan Frost, an assistant professor at the University of South Carolina School of the Earth, Ocean, & the Environment, told 7NEWS a cluster of at least seven small earthquakes detected in Greenwood County on Saturday are likely a minor reactivation of a fault line which has existed since the formation of the Appalachian mountains.

On Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed seven earthquakes, ranging from 1.5 magnitude to 3 magnitude were detected in Greenwood County between 12:17 a.m. and 3:59 a.m.

“There was a similar smalls swarm of earthquakes in the same area in October of 2024. It appears that they might be occurring on an old shear zone, an area where, hundreds of millions of years ago during the formation of the Appalachian mountains, the rocks used to slide past each other in a similar way to the San Andreas today,” said Frost in an email. “. We know this from the local geology that has been mapped in detail by the South Carolina Geologic Survey. While the mountains have since been eroded down, the fault remains.”

Some of the occurred near the Saluda River, and were strong enough to possibly move furniture or shake any unsecured items in nearby homes.

Frost said the reactivation of the fault may be connected to the water volume in the Saluda River.

“Overall, these earthquakes are just a small reminder of where our wonderful Appalachian mountains came from,” he said.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/seismologist-greenwood-earthquakes-not-cause-191202990.html