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While most of South Carolina was sleeping early Thursday morning the latest earthquake to hit the Columbia area was recorded.

A 2.1 magnitude earthquake was confirmed near Lake Murray, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The seismic activity hit at 2:32 a.m. in a part of Lake Murray that’s near the line separating Richland and Lexington counties, the South Carolina Emergency Management Division said.

The tremors were recorded about 5.5 miles beneath the surface of the ground, USGS data shows.

Recent earthquakes

The recent seismic activity means that 14 earthquakes have been confirmed in South Carolina this year, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources Geological Survey. The past six have all been in the Columbia area, near Lake Murray.

On March 13, a 2.0 magnitude earthquake hit off the South Carolina coast, but that was in the Atlantic Ocean, not the Palmetto State.

Prior to Thursday’s earthquake, the last one recorded in South Carolina was a 2.2 magnitude quake on March 1, according to the USGS.

Prior to this series of tremors in the Columbia area, there were six consecutive earthquakes recorded in the Lowcountry between Feb. 3 and 12, South Carolina DNR data shows.

There were 35 confirmed earthquakes in South Carolina in 2025.

In 2024, there were 30 earthquakes in the Palmetto State, after 28 quakes were recorded in 2023, South Carolina DNR records show.

History of earthquakes in SC

It had been uncommon for earthquakes to hit outside the Midlands area of the Palmetto State, specifically beyond Kershaw County, where 74 earthquakes have been confirmed since the end of June 2022, according to the South Carolina DNR.

That’s also where South Carolina’s most powerful recent earthquakes were recorded on June 29, 2022.

On that day, two earthquakes — one a 3.5 magnitude and the other 3.6 — were included in a flurry of tremors and aftershocks. Those were the two largest quakes to hit South Carolina in nearly a decade. A 4.1-magnitude quake struck McCormick County in 2014.

Anyone who felt tremors and shaking or heard rumbling from Thursday’s earthquake can report it to the USGS. Although the earthquake occurred when much of the population was sleeping, as of 7 a.m., at least 58 people reported experiencing the early-morning seismic activity.

The most recent earthquake means at least 181 have been detected in the Palmetto State since the start of 2022, according to South Carolina DNR. All but 59 of the quakes have been in the Midlands.

In all, 127 earthquakes have hit the Columbia area since a 3.3-magnitude quake was recorded Dec. 27, 2021, according to the DNR.

The S.C. Emergency Management Division said the majority of the recent earthquakes were classified as a micro quakes, according to the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale.

No major damage or injuries have been reported from the recent seismic activity or any of the other recent quakes.

Earthquakes that register 2.5 magnitude or less often go unnoticed and are usually recorded only by a seismograph, according to Michigan Technological University. Any quake less than 5.5 magnitude is not likely to cause significant damage, the school said.

It had been typical for South Carolina to have between six and 10 earthquakes a year, the S.C. Geological Survey previously reported. There have been 195 earthquakes in South Carolina since Jan. 18, 2021, according to DNR. During a 2022 town hall to address the earthquakes, state geologist Scott Howard said as many as 200 smaller tremors might have gone unnoticed and unrecorded.

Reported earthquakes in SC 2025-26

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — Midlands schools are announcing classes will be cancelled or online on Monday due to potential severe weather across communities.

CALHOUN COUNTY:

Today, March 16, 2026, all schools in the district will operate on an e-Learning Day.

CLARENDON COUNTY:

All classes will shift to e-Learning for Monday, March 16.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY:

Due to forecasts indicating a potentially significant severe weather threat for our area on Monday, March 16, 2026, FCSD will be closed.

This will be a traditional school closure, and there will be no e-learning on Monday. The instructional day will be made up on Monday, May 25, 2026.

KERSHAW COUNTY:

Kershaw County School District is shifting to an e-Learning Day for Monday, March 16, as severe weather is forecasted for our area. All school buildings and offices will be closed. All Monday after school activities and sporting events are also cancelled.

LEXINGTON ONE:

Lexington One will switch to eLearning on Monday, March 16 due to the forecast for severe weather. All after-school events and activities are canceled and campuses are closed for the day.

The big picture: The National Weather Service is predicting widespread, significant severe weather on Monday. Damaging (60 mph) to destructive (75+ mph) wind gusts are expected, with tornadoes possible as well. Some strong tornadoes (EF2+) are possible. Current forecasts indicate that the main window for severe hazards is expected to be between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

What to know: To help your student with eLearning, click here to review the district’s eLearning guidelines and directions. Students will have five days to complete all eLearning assignments. Additional information will also be shared later today.

Note for employees: Employees should work from home, unless notified otherwise by your supervisor.

LEXINGTON TWO:

With weather forecasts calling for severe weather and high winds in the Midlands, and in an abundance of caution, Lexington Two will close all schools and offices on Monday, March 16.

All afternoon and evening activities are also canceled on Monday, including athletic events, extracurricular activities, after-school programs, and adult education classes.

The National Weather Service is predicting damaging to destructive winds, possibly as high as 60-75 mph, with the current timing anywhere between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. At this time, our area is at an enhanced risk for severe weather, with some parts of our forecast area expanded to a moderate risk. An enhanced risk is a 3/5 confidence level, and a moderate risk is a 4/5 confidence level.

We will communicate updates by Monday afternoon on the status of the school day for Tuesday, March 17.

We appreciate your understanding and support, as we prioritize the safety of our students, employees, and families.

LEXINGTON THREE:

Due to the latest forecasted severe weather expected to impact the Midlands of South Carolina on Monday, March 16th, Lexington County School District Three will shift to an eLearning Day. The primary threat on Monday is damaging winds, with gusts up to 75 miles per hour possible. The National Weather Service is predicting “high-risk” weather, with dangerous tornadoes possible between 11 AM and 3 PM, directly affecting Lexington Three’s regular school day. Therefore we will shift to an eLearning Day on Monday, March 16th.

There will be no work for students to do on Monday, March 16th. Instead, students will receive their make-up eLearning assignments on Tuesday, March 17th. Students will have the option to complete their eLearning assignments on their own time. All assignments will be due by no later than Thursday, April 2nd.

All after-school events including sports practices, sports games, meetings, adult education classes, etc. scheduled for Monday, March 16th are cancelled.

LEXINGTON-RICHLAND 5:

No school for teachers + students Monday, March 16.

NEWBERRY COUNTY:

Due to the predictions by the Weather Service for high winds and possible tornado activity during the morning commute and into the morning, the School District of Newberry County will be closed Monday. Concerns are for buses in the predicted winds.

ORANGEBURG COUNTY:

Orangeburg County School District (OCSD) officials are closely monitoring weather conditions expected to impact Orangeburg County. Due to forecasted severe wind conditions expected across Orangeburg County (March 16, 2026), Orangeburg County School District will observe an eLearning Day.

RICHLAND ONE:

According to Ilyssa Weiner with Richland One:

Due to the evolving forecast for severe weather and out of an abundance of caution, all Richland One schools and administrative offices will be closed Monday, March 16, 2026. Monday will not be an e-learning day.

All afterschool programs, activities and events that were scheduled for Monday, including athletics games and practices, are canceled. The Richland One Rising Stars Awards Ceremony that was scheduled for Monday evening at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center is canceled.

The safety of our students and staff is always the primary consideration in deciding whether to change normal operations and schedules due to weather-related factors. The latest weather forecast calls for conditions during the day Monday that could produce tornadoes and high wind gusts of 40 miles per hour or more that would pose hazardous travel conditions for school buses and other vehicles on the roads.

RICHLAND TWO:

Due to forecasted severe storms and high winds, there will be no school tomorrow, Monday, March 16, 2026. All district buildings and offices will be closed.

SUMTER COUNTY:

Due to severe weather and hazardous winds, Monday, March 16, 2026, will be an eLearning day for all students and staff.

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This list will be updated as more schools’ information becomes available.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Several Midlands school districts have announced school closures and eLearning days for Monday due to potential severe weather across the region.

CALHOUN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Calhoun County Public Schools will have an e-learning day on Monday.

CLARENDON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Monday, March 16, 2026, will be an eLearning day for all students and staff. All schools and district offices will be closed.

All activities, including athletic events and field trips, are canceled.

FAIRFIELD COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Fairfield County School District (FCSD) will be closed on Monday.

This will be a traditional school closure, and there will be no e-learning on Monday. The instructional day will be made up on Monday, May 25, 2026.

LEXINGTON 3

Lexington County School District Three announced it will shift to an eLearning Day due to potential severe weather on Monday.

The district says there will be no work for students to do on Monday. Instead, students will receive their make-up eLearning assignments on Tuesday, March 17th. Students will have the option to complete their eLearning assignments on their own time. All assignments will be due by no later than Thursday, April 2nd.

All after-school events, including sports practices, sports games, meetings, adult education classes, etc., scheduled for Monday, March 16th, are cancelled.

LEXINGTON ONE

Lexington One is switching to eLearning on Monday, March 16, 2026

All after-school events and activities are canceled, and campuses are also closed for the day.

You can click here to review the district’s eLearning guidelines and directions.

LEXINGTON TWO

Lexington Two is closing all offices and schools on Monday, March 16.

All afternoon and evening activities are also canceled on Monday, including athletic events, extracurricular activities, after-school programs, and adult education classes.

DISTRICT 5 OF LEXINGTON AND RICHLAND COUNTIES

LR5 will not have school due to previous scheduling.

ORANGEBURG COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Orangeburg County School District will observe an eLearning Day. All after-school programs, extracurricular activities, athletic practices, and games scheduled for tomorrow are canceled due to the expected weather conditions.

LEE COUNTY

Lee County School District has designated Monday, March 16, 2026, as an eLearning Day.

KERSHAW COUNTY

Kershaw County School District is shifting to an e-Learning Day for Monday. All Monday after-school activities and sporting events are also cancelled.

NEWBERRY COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Due to predicted severe weather for Monday, the School District of Newberry County will close all schools and offices on Monday, March 16.

RICHLAND ONE

All Richland One schools and administrative offices will be closed on Monday, March 16, 2026. Monday will not be an e-learning day.

RICHLAND TWO

School in Richland Two is canceled on Monday, March 16, due to severe weather.

All out-of-district field studies are canceled out of caution.

SUMTER SCHOOL DISTRICT

Due to severe weather and hazardous winds, Monday, March 16, 2026, will be an eLearning day for all students and staff.

VORHEES UNIVERSITY

Voorhees University will close its campus on Monday, March 16, 2026. Only essential personnel should report to campus.

WIS will update this article with more school changes once announced.

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Residents of central South Carolina were hit with multiple tornado warnings on Thursday morning (March 12, 2026) as a major storm front moved through the Midlands region of the state.

Beginning at approximately 9:21 a.m. EDT, the Columbia, S.C. branch of the National Weather Service (NWS) began issuing tornado warnings for broad swaths of the region – including Lexington and Saluda counties south of Lake Murray and shortly thereafter for several heavily populated regions in Lexington and Richland counties north of the lake.

From 9:21 a.m. through 10:14 a.m., a total of six tornado warnings were issued for NWS Columbia’s coverage area – including warnings which encompassed Ballentine, Columbia, Gilbert and Irmo, S.C. At one point, nearly a quarter million Midlands residents were under a tornado warning.

While none of the dreaded funnel clouds appear to have touched down, the weather’s ominous turn was duly noted as cell phones across the region lit up with emergency warnings.

“(The) sky was green and got super dark really fast,” one Midlands resident wrote on X.

One weather watcher, Bethany Ouimette, was tracking traffic cameras operated by the S.C. Department of Transportation (SCDOT) when she observed an “intermittent funnel… coming and going.”

Multiple schools in the Midlands region instituted shelter in place protocols – while some schools actually evacuated students to more secure structures on campus. At the Target shopping center on Harbison Drive – a heavily trafficked retail area of northwest Columbia – shoppers were told to gather in the center of the store where they were asked to shelter in place for nearly an hour until the storm passed.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates…

is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.

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With severe weather on the way, some schools are making changes to their schedules. We'll keep track of those changes here.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A severe storm is expected to bring heavy wind, rain and possible tornadoes to the South Carolina Midlands on Monday morning.

As a result, some school districts are shifting their class schedules or moving to eLearning due to the storm's potential impact on their communities.

Here's what we're hearing from each county.

Aiken County

Aiken County schools will observe an eLearning Day on Monday due to forecasted severe weather, with employees working remotely and students having until March 27 to complete their assignments.

Calhoun County

Calhoun County Public Schools will have an eLearning Day on Monday due to forecast severe weather.

Clarendon County

Clarendon County Schools has announced that Monday will be an eLearning day due to expected severe weather. All schools and district offices will be closed. All activities are canceled. Assignments will be posted on Google Classroom. Students who face barriers to completing the assignments will be allowed additional time.

Fairfield County

Fairfield County School District will be closed on Monday due to forecast severe weather, with no eLearning. The missed instructional day will be made up on Monday, May 25.

Kershaw County

Kershaw County School District is shifting to an eLearning Day on Monday due to forecast severe weather, with all school buildings, offices, and afterschool activities closed or canceled. Middle and high school students will receive assignments in Canvas by 11 a.m., while elementary students will receive theirs on Tuesday. All students will have five school days to complete their work.

Lee County

Lee County School District has designated Monday as an eLearning Day due to forecast severe thunderstorms with high winds and heavy rainfall, and all staff members are expected to remain available during normal work hours.

Lexington One

Lexington County School District One is switching to eLearning on Monday, with campuses closed and all afterschool activities canceled due to a forecast of severe weather, including damaging winds and possible tornadoes. Employees are asked to work from home, and students will have five days to complete their eLearning assignments.

Lexington Two

Lexington Two will close all schools and offices on Monday due to forecast severe weather, with all afterschool and evening activities also canceled. The district will communicate updates by Monday afternoon regarding the status of school on Tuesday, March 17.

Lexington Three

Lexington County School District Three is switching to an eLearning Day on Monday due to forecasted severe weather. Students will have no work on Monday but will receive make-up eLearning assignments on Tuesday, with all work due by April 2. All afterschool events are canceled.

Lexington Four

Lexington Four schools are not scheduled to be in session on Monday.

Lexington-Richland Five

While schools and offices in School District Five of Lexington & Richland Counties are already closed on Monday for a previously scheduled holiday, employees who were scheduled to work will transition to remote work due to forecast severe weather.

Newberry County

The School District of Newberry County will close all schools and offices on Monday due to forecast severe weather.

Orangeburg County

Orangeburg County School District will observe an eLearning Day on Monday due to forecast severe wind conditions, with all afterschool programs, extracurricular activities, and athletic events canceled. Students should follow the eLearning procedures previously communicated by their schools.

Richland One

Richland One has announced that all schools and offices will be closed on Monday due to the severe weather forecast. School officials said this will not be an eLearning day. All afterschool activities on Monday have also been canceled. The Richland One Rising Stars Awards Ceremony is also canceled.

Richland Two

Richland Two will cancel classes on Monday due to forecasted severe weather and high winds. All district buildings and offices will be closed.

Saluda County

Saluda County schools are monitoring the weather forecast but have not made any changes to school schedules at this time.

Sumter County

Sumter School District has designated Monday as an eLearning Day due to forecast severe weather, with all schools, offices, and activities closed or canceled, and the day will not need to be made up. Lessons will be posted on Schoology, and students who are unable to participate due to power outages or limited internet access will be allowed to complete assignments at a later time.