By Carmen Guererra
There have definitely been many earthquakes in San Francisco. California residents have long realized that earth tremors are typical to that area, and take getting used to.
But the most famous San Francisco earthquake that devastated the city occurred in 1906. Before you go to California, even for a short trip, it's definitely a good idea to be aware of possible earthquakes and learn basic survival skills.
Why California?
You don't have to be a geologist to understand that basics of a San Francisco earthquake. The surface of the earth is covered in tectonic plates. These plates shift and change shape due to the volcanic and geological activity of the earth. It's easy to visualize North America as one big solid "sheet". But it is actually made up of multiple plates.
California lies right in the middle of two of these plates. It straddles the North America and the Pacific plates. The San Andreas Fault is the area where these two plates meet. The fault is a hot spot of geological activity and it runs straight up California. The fault extends a staggering distance, over 800 miles.
Scientists spend their lives researching and trying to predict earthquakes. This task proved to be so challenging that not much progress has been made up to this day. And back then in 1906, the earthquake forecast was even further away from reality then it is now.
The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
On Wednesday, April 18, 1906, at 5:12 a.m., the great San Francisco earthquake struck. The general estimate is that the quake was a 7.9 on the scale that is usually known as the Richter scale. Some scientists disagree, and suggest that 8.25 is a more accurate value. Whatever the magnitude, tremors were recorded from Oregon down to Los Angeles and even into Nevada.
The not only was the quake a huge disaster, but San Francisco was plagued by fires as a result. Some studies show that the fires alone caused more damage than the shocks. On that day in 1906, the New York Times declared that there were over 500 dead. At the time casualties in parts of the city like Chinatown were not reported. This number has since been updated to over 3,000.
Because of ruptured gas mains beneath the city, whole blocks were consumed by fires in the aftermath of the San Francisco earthquake. Even worse, the fire department had little means to combat the flames because the water mains were also damaged.
The Aftermath
The homes of about 225,000 people were left irreparably damaged. Many fled to other parts of the state and the army was called in to assist with temporary housing. Small relief houses were erected in eleven temporary housing camps. At one point, about 16,448 people sought shelter in the small homes that were packed closely together.
The importance of rebuilding the city was heralded by politicians. In an unexpected turn of events, the officials purposely released statements that seemed to downplay the damage. Because they wanted real estate investors to return to the city, the magnitude of the San Francisco earthquake was minimized in the eyes of the public.
Pop culture has since used the quake as a backdrop for films, novels, and plays. Museums like the Museum of Modern Art regularly show exhibits related to the disaster.
Though the whole area reeled after the San Francisco earthquake, the city is now better than ever. Now is the perfect chance to visit the cultured neighborhoods and view the stunning scenery and architecture.
But the most famous San Francisco earthquake that devastated the city occurred in 1906. Before you go to California, even for a short trip, it's definitely a good idea to be aware of possible earthquakes and learn basic survival skills.
Why California?
You don't have to be a geologist to understand that basics of a San Francisco earthquake. The surface of the earth is covered in tectonic plates. These plates shift and change shape due to the volcanic and geological activity of the earth. It's easy to visualize North America as one big solid "sheet". But it is actually made up of multiple plates.
California lies right in the middle of two of these plates. It straddles the North America and the Pacific plates. The San Andreas Fault is the area where these two plates meet. The fault is a hot spot of geological activity and it runs straight up California. The fault extends a staggering distance, over 800 miles.
Scientists spend their lives researching and trying to predict earthquakes. This task proved to be so challenging that not much progress has been made up to this day. And back then in 1906, the earthquake forecast was even further away from reality then it is now.
The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
On Wednesday, April 18, 1906, at 5:12 a.m., the great San Francisco earthquake struck. The general estimate is that the quake was a 7.9 on the scale that is usually known as the Richter scale. Some scientists disagree, and suggest that 8.25 is a more accurate value. Whatever the magnitude, tremors were recorded from Oregon down to Los Angeles and even into Nevada.
The not only was the quake a huge disaster, but San Francisco was plagued by fires as a result. Some studies show that the fires alone caused more damage than the shocks. On that day in 1906, the New York Times declared that there were over 500 dead. At the time casualties in parts of the city like Chinatown were not reported. This number has since been updated to over 3,000.
Because of ruptured gas mains beneath the city, whole blocks were consumed by fires in the aftermath of the San Francisco earthquake. Even worse, the fire department had little means to combat the flames because the water mains were also damaged.
The Aftermath
The homes of about 225,000 people were left irreparably damaged. Many fled to other parts of the state and the army was called in to assist with temporary housing. Small relief houses were erected in eleven temporary housing camps. At one point, about 16,448 people sought shelter in the small homes that were packed closely together.
The importance of rebuilding the city was heralded by politicians. In an unexpected turn of events, the officials purposely released statements that seemed to downplay the damage. Because they wanted real estate investors to return to the city, the magnitude of the San Francisco earthquake was minimized in the eyes of the public.
Pop culture has since used the quake as a backdrop for films, novels, and plays. Museums like the Museum of Modern Art regularly show exhibits related to the disaster.
Though the whole area reeled after the San Francisco earthquake, the city is now better than ever. Now is the perfect chance to visit the cultured neighborhoods and view the stunning scenery and architecture.
