Mysterious Sonic Boom Shakes South Carolina Residents

A loud sonic boom startled residents across South Carolina on Thursday evening, leading many to believe it was an earthquake. The USGS confirmed it was a sonic boom, not seismic activity. Eyewitnesses reported hearing the sound from various locations, prompting widespread curiosity and concern. As details remain scarce, residents took to social media to share their experiences and seek answers about the mysterious noise that shook their homes.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 29, 2026, 06:00 IST

Residents React to Sudden Sonic Boom

On Thursday evening, residents in various regions of South Carolina experienced a startling loud boom that reverberated through homes, causing widespread confusion. The unusual sound was reported around 5:30 p.m. across the Midlands area, leading many to speculate whether an earthquake had struck. Reports indicated that the boom was audible from locations as far apart as North Augusta and Darlington County, approximately 145 miles from each other.

However, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) quickly clarified that the phenomenon was not an earthquake. In an official statement, the USGS classified the occurrence as a 'Magnitude 0.0 Sonic Boom,' pinpointing its location to about 6 kilometers north-northeast of Saint Andrews, South Carolina, and recorded at 21:24:30 UTC on May 28, 2026. The agency emphasized, 'This event is not an earthquake.'

The USGS further explained that the waves detected and the eyewitness accounts aligned with characteristics of a sonic boom, rather than seismic activity resulting from tectonic movements. They noted that traditional earthquake magnitude scales are designed for seismic waves traveling through the Earth, which is why they assigned a magnitude of 0.0 to this incident.

Sonic booms typically occur when aircraft exceed the speed of sound, generating shock waves that can be perceived on the ground. As of now, no further information has been disclosed regarding the specific cause of the sonic boom that startled South Carolinians. The event quickly gained traction on social media, with residents sharing their experiences and trying to uncover the source of the loud noise.