Earthquake in SC, NC, and GA?
 

Just getting in word about a 4.4 to 5.4 quake, epicenter in SC.

2014 is shaping up for some really, really weird weather.....

Lordy! Charleston is on a fault line. Paging Clemsongirl --- report, please!

Here's a link to info from USGS http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquak...00mr27#summary

Edgefield, SC -- close to Augusta

I live in Atlanta, but did not feel it. Wish I had been able to!

I've actually been having a rather interesting Valentine's Day-something I ate at Chili's did not agree with me, and I was trying to sleep off what I hope isn't food poisoning when this earthquake happened. My boyfriend said he didn't feel anything, but lots of my Facebook friends commented about it. Sorry that I'm not a better on-site reporter!

Hey, I thought your report was riveting!

Feel better :)

Don't worry, everyone, fracking is TOTALLY safe.

Feel better, Clemsongirl. Better to have slept through it.

S/ Abso-FREAKING-lutely safe /s.

There's no reason at all to expect earthquakes, sink holes, buildings collapsing seemingly without reason, increase in cancers... Because money is ALWAYS better.

But it is good to remind people every now and again that the most dangerous fault line in the US is in fact NOT in California but runs smack through the Midwest (the New Madrid (and that's mad rid not muh drid) fault), which thankfully stays pretty quiet most of the time. It doesn't sound like that is the faulty fault in this case.

I slept through it. My toddler woke up crying that a monster was shaking his bed. My husband told him it was a bad dream. When we woke up and checked out what friends had posted on Facebook, we realized that our son must've felt the earthquake.

I survived the earthquake! Some glasses started clinking, and then there was what sounded like a freight train going through my house. No damage, but it was quite startling.

ShakeMaps!! I love these things!

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/product/s.../intensity.jpg


Since moving to the east coast, I've noticed that earthquakes here (and the midwest) have a tendency to be felt much farther away than they are in California for similar magnitude quakes (of course, depth and ground acceleration are also factors).

For instance:
Stronger earthquake, not quite as deep:
http://comcat.cr.usgs.gov/product/sh.../intensity.jpg

Stronger earthquake, somewhat deeper:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquak.../intensity.jpg

ETA: also, I'm sure the higher density of earthquake measurement instruments in California produce more accurate maps, but I don't believe it accounts for all of it. I remember being surprised by how far away the 2011 Virginia earthquake was felt.

I've always heard the New Madrid fault is the most dangerous one in the US, and this deep and wide theory is probably why. Add to it the fact that Midwesterners don't build for earthquakes and a lighter quake would probably do more damage.