A powerful and mysterious sonic boom rattled central South Carolina on May 28, startling residents and triggering widespread speculation about its origin. The event was felt across the Columbia area, with dramatic footage captured at Jim Hamilton-LB Owens Airport showing cameras shaking, structures vibrating, and aircraft on the tarmac visibly reacting to the sudden blast.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the disturbance originated near Saint Andrews at approximately 5:24 p.m. and was consistent with a sonic boom rather than an earthquake. Officials assigned the event a magnitude of 0.0, noting that the agency’s monitoring systems are designed to detect seismic activity and are not calibrated to measure sonic booms with precision.

Despite confirming the nature of the event, authorities have not identified what caused the shockwave, fueling intense curiosity throughout the region. Experts have pointed to possibilities ranging from a supersonic aircraft to a meteor entering the atmosphere, but no official explanation has been provided, leaving residents and observers searching for answers as questions continue to surround the unusual incident.