Four Earthquakes Rumble Across Upstate: What You Felt Last Night

A series of four light earthquakes rattled the Upstate in the early hours of Saturday, sparking chatter across the region around Laurens and Greenwood counties.
According to Earthquake Track’s logging of seismic activity, these tremors occurred between about 12:17 a.m. and 1:21 a.m. EST, centered near Greenwood close to Coronaca—just across the Laurens-Greenwood line.

How It Shook Out
12:17 a.m. — Magnitude 2.8–2.9, shallow depth (~6 km), about 7 miles northwest of Greenwood.
12:23 a.m. — Magnitude 3.0, ~1–2 km depth — the strongest of the lot.
12:41 a.m. — Magnitude 2.5, shallow (~1 km), same area.
1:21 a.m. — Magnitude 2.0, very shallow (~0 km), same general region.

How Far Did It Travel?
The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed four small earthquakes in the region early Saturday, including the 3.0 magnitude quake at 12:23 a.m. near Coronaca.
Typically, earthquakes 3.0 or greater can be felt, while smaller ones are often detected only by instruments.Residents across Laurens and Greenwood counties reported feeling light shaking, windows rattling, and beds vibrating.

What Does This Mean?
Magnitude 3.0 is usually the threshold where people notice a mild shaking.Depth matters — these quakes were very shallow (0–6 km), which makes even lower- magnitude tremors easier to feel. South Carolina averages 10–15 earthquakes annually, most below magnitude 3, and they are rarely damaging. While no injuries or damage were reported, these early-morning tremors were a reminder that the Palmetto State does experience seismic activity from time to time.

For Laurens County residents, it was an unexpected wake-up call from beneath the surface of the Upstate.