A loud boom was heard in Columbia, South Carolina, leaving residents confused about its cause. The sound was reported across the Midlands around 5:30 pm, with some people feeling its effects as far as 145 miles apart.
While some speculated it could be an earthquake, a meteorologist suggested it might be a sonic boom. The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed they felt the boom but found no evidence on the USGS earthquake map.
Another video shared online showed the boom's sound, with one person claiming it was not an earthquake. The US Geological Survey (USGS) later provided an update, stating it was a sonic boom with a 0.0 magnitude, as their equipment is not calibrated to measure such events.
A sonic boom is caused by a shockwave when an object passes at the speed of sound. However, the cause of this specific boom remains unknown, with nearby military bases and NASA investigating the matter.
