Charleston seismic zone

Summary

The Charleston seismic zone, also known as the Middleton Place/Summerville seismic zone, is a major seismic zone located near the town of Summerville, South Carolina, United States. It is a result of basement faults from the ancient South Georgia rift, which was active during the break up of Pangaea. The Charleston seismic zone has the potential for large and catastrophic earthquakes. On August 31, 1886, a fault under the town of Summerville, South Carolina ruptured and produced an earthquake that had an estimated magnitude of between 6.8 and 7.8 on the Richter Scale. This was one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded in the eastern United States.