Columbia, SC – A small earthquake rattled parts of the Midlands late Friday night near Lake Murray, just west of Columbia.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 2.8 earthquake struck at 11:43 p.m. (EST) Friday, February 13, 2026, approximately 4 kilometers west-southwest of Irmo in Lexington County. The tremor occurred at a shallow depth of about 3.9 kilometers, which can make light shaking more noticeable near the epicenter.
The quake’s epicenter was located near the northern side of Lake Murray, roughly 10 miles northwest of downtown Columbia and about 90 miles inland from Charleston. Early community intensity reports submitted to the USGS indicated weak shaking in areas surrounding Irmo and western Columbia.
At this magnitude, earthquakes are typically considered minor and rarely cause damage. However, residents close to the epicenter may have felt a brief jolt or rumble late Friday night.
South Carolina experiences occasional small earthquakes, particularly in the Midlands and Lowcountry regions. Most are minor and go unnoticed, but shallow quakes can sometimes be felt indoors.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or structural damage as of early Saturday morning.
Did you feel the shaking near Lake Murray or Irmo late Friday? What did it feel like in your neighborhood?
