Lighthouses and the Great Shake of 1886: Part 2

On Tuesday, August 31, 1886, the Great Charleston Earthquake rocked the East Coast at 9:51 p.m., creating shocks that were felt from Toronto to Key West. It was estimated to have been a 7.3 magnitude quake on the modern Richter scale, with an intensity of X on the Modified Mercalli scale, which ranges from I (barely felt) through XII (total desutrction). This was possibly the most powerful earthquake ever to strike east of the Mississippi River. It hit the village of Summerville, South Carolina, full force, leaving every house uninhabitable. Virtually every building in the nearby city of Charleston was damaged or destroyed, and hundreds of people were killed or injured. Some victims were so panic-stricken that they committed suicide or died of fright. Most residents were left homeless. Aftershocks continued for months after the August 31 quake. The frequency of these gradually declined, but seismic activity in Charleston and Summerville areas has continued to be reported up to the present day.