Even Baton Rouge experiences an occasional tremor, but not like that of the port city of Charleston, S.C. In 1886, Charleston had a population of 53,000 where the Ashley and Cooper rivers create a peninsula. As noted in a previous anniversary column, at 9:51 p.m. Aug. 31, 1886, a shudder passed through the city followed by an unusual rolling sound that increased to a deafening roar. Every person, building and the earth was in jarring motion for 40 seconds. Residents of nearby Summerville reported booms that sounded like artillery fire. Panic enveloped Charleston. The Great Charleston Earthquake created 17 major shocks, destroying more than 100 buildings with total damage estimated at $6 million adn took 60 lives. The same quake was felt from Canada to Cuba and from Iowa to Bermuda. Fastcast: Flooding.
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