South Carolina has, unfortunately, had more than the lion’s share of horrifying disasters throughout history. Take a look at the shocking images and details of some of them below.
- Earthquake: 1886 - an estimated 6.9 - 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck the Lowcountry
GenDisasters Charleston sustained between $5 million and $6 million in damages (in 1886 figures) to approximately 2,000 buildings. At least 60 deaths were attributed to the earthquake. The shock was felt as far away as Boston, Chicago and Milwaukee.
- Plane Crash: 2008 - Columbia plane crash
GenDisasters In September 2008, rock music fans awakened the morning after a Lear Jet crashed on take off from Columbia to learn that the accident has occurred and killed four people. The tragic accident also seriously burned/injured former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and popular DJ Adam Goldstein.
- Bridge Collapse: 1946 in Charleston/Mount Pleasant
Flickr/Hunter Desportes In the middle of the afternoon of February 24, 1946, a 10,000-ton steamer was literally blown by high winds into one of the spans of the set of old Cooper River bridges. A section of the John P. Grace Memorial Bridge collapsed into the water below, taking with it a single car carrying a family of five to their death.
- Panic: 1923 school fire
GenDisasters Panic ensued during a school graduation near Camden. The building caught fire. Seventy people were either burned, suffocated or trampled to death during the horrific fire.
- Train Derailment Disaster: 2005 - Graniteville train crash and chemical spill
GenDisasters A train derailed right in the middle of this tiny community in January 2005, spilling toxic chemicals everywhere. Evacuations followed, people died from inhaling the fumes, and general chaos ensued.
- Mine Explosion: 1908 Kershaw
Flickr/James St. John In what may be the only mining explosion (thankfully) in the history of South Carolina, four men were reported seriously injured after an explosion rocked a gold mine in Kershaw County in August, 1908.
- Flood: October 2015
Flicir/Coast Guard News The “Thousand Year Flood” dumped as much as 27 inches of rain in parts of South Carolina in a matter of five short days. The unrelenting tropical storm was blamed for at least 11 deaths in South Carolina.
- Hurricane: 1989 Category 4 Hurricane Hugo
Wikipedia/E. Brown and NOAA In September of 1989, the coast of South Carolina was the point of landfall for a massive hurricane that caused 27 fatalities in South Carolina and left an approximate 100,000 people homeless. It was the most damaging hurricane in history at the time.
These unfortunate events will never be forgotten by South Carolinians, or generations to come. Do you know of more horrific disasters in our history?
GenDisasters
Charleston sustained between $5 million and $6 million in damages (in 1886 figures) to approximately 2,000 buildings. At least 60 deaths were attributed to the earthquake. The shock was felt as far away as Boston, Chicago and Milwaukee.
In September 2008, rock music fans awakened the morning after a Lear Jet crashed on take off from Columbia to learn that the accident has occurred and killed four people. The tragic accident also seriously burned/injured former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and popular DJ Adam Goldstein.
Flickr/Hunter Desportes
In the middle of the afternoon of February 24, 1946, a 10,000-ton steamer was literally blown by high winds into one of the spans of the set of old Cooper River bridges. A section of the John P. Grace Memorial Bridge collapsed into the water below, taking with it a single car carrying a family of five to their death.
Panic ensued during a school graduation near Camden. The building caught fire. Seventy people were either burned, suffocated or trampled to death during the horrific fire.
A train derailed right in the middle of this tiny community in January 2005, spilling toxic chemicals everywhere. Evacuations followed, people died from inhaling the fumes, and general chaos ensued.
Flickr/James St. John
In what may be the only mining explosion (thankfully) in the history of South Carolina, four men were reported seriously injured after an explosion rocked a gold mine in Kershaw County in August, 1908.
Flicir/Coast Guard News
The “Thousand Year Flood” dumped as much as 27 inches of rain in parts of South Carolina in a matter of five short days. The unrelenting tropical storm was blamed for at least 11 deaths in South Carolina.
Wikipedia/E. Brown and NOAA
In September of 1989, the coast of South Carolina was the point of landfall for a massive hurricane that caused 27 fatalities in South Carolina and left an approximate 100,000 people homeless. It was the most damaging hurricane in history at the time.
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