San Francisco Earthquake
A 7.9 magnitude earthquake and subsequent fires destroyed most of San Francisco
April 18, 1906
A City Shaken to Its Core
On April 18, 1906, a massive earthquake struck San Francisco, California, just before dawn. Scientists estimate the quake measured around magnitude 7.9, making it one of the most powerful ever recorded in North America. The shaking lasted nearly a minute and was felt as far away as Oregon and Nevada. Buildings collapsed, streets cracked open, and water mains burst across the city. Tens of thousands of residents were jolted awake by the violent tremors, and many ran into the streets in their nightclothes, unsure if the world was ending.
Fire Made Everything Worse
The earthquake itself was devastating, but the fires that followed caused even more destruction. Broken gas lines and overturned stoves ignited blazes across the city. Because the water mains had ruptured, firefighters had almost no water to fight the flames. The fires burned for three days and destroyed about 25,000 buildings across nearly 500 city blocks. More than 3,000 people died, and roughly 225,000 of the city's 400,000 residents were left homeless. Tent cities sprang up in parks as survivors tried to figure out what to do next.
Rebuilding and Remembering
San Francisco rebuilt with remarkable speed. Within just a few years, much of the city had been reconstructed, and officials downplayed the earthquake's severity to attract investors and residents back. This decision led to some poor building choices that would cause problems in later earthquakes. The 1906 disaster did push scientists to study faults more seriously, eventually leading to the development of the modern understanding of seismic risk we rely on today. April 18 is still observed each year in San Francisco as a day of remembrance for those who lost their lives.