Charleston earthquake of 1886
The Charleston earthquake of 1886 occurred in the US city of Charleston, South Carolina at 9:51 pm on August 31, 1886. The magnitude of the earthquake has not been determined, but an investigation carried out on behalf of the US government in 1977 came concluded that it was a very severe earthquake (7.3 according to USGS). The effects of the quake could be felt as far as New York , Chicago and Milwaukee .
In Charleston, out of a population of 49,000, about 100 people lost their lives. Thousands were injured and only an eighth of the houses remained undamaged. At the time, Charleston was still suffering from the aftermath of the American Civil War , so most of the residents did not build, but repaired their houses. This has led to Charleston being considered a North American architectural gem today.
The cause of the quake has not yet been fully clarified. Charleston does not sit on the edge of a tectonic plate , as is typical for earthquake-prone regions, but is geographically located roughly in the middle of the North American plate.