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1906 San Francisco Earthquake

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In San Francisco on April 18, 1906 at about 5:13 am a HUGE earthquake hit recorded as a 7.7-7.9 . Damaging buildings from left to right. Many poorly structured buildings collapsed causing 500 million dollars in total damage (1906 money) translated to about 8.2 billion dollars today. It was recorded that most buildings immediately caught fire which trapped the victims, about 25,000 buildings were burnt down from the fire, a total of about 490 blocks.At around 8:14 a Major aftershock hit making even more damaged building collapse. The earthquake and fires in San Francisco were recorded to be the worst natural disaster in U.S. history. At the time San francisco was considered the ninth largest U.S city with a population of 400,000 after this …show more content…

This earthquake damaged 296 miles of the 800 mile long San Andreas Fault. The fire was started by the broken gas lines all throughout the 490 damaged blocks.The seventh great fire was reported to go on for about 4 days in total, before being put …show more content…

Fort mason was luckily saved from the fire as were some of the people who were trapped.The Great Fire spread across town overnight and then changed it’s path to the southern part of the city. Fire Chief Engineer Dennis T. Sullivan was announced dead at 1 am, April 22, 1906.By that time comes the earthquake has stopped and so have all the big aftershocks . Leaving San Francisco with little short tremors every now and then. Believe it or not this is just one of multiple natural Disasters and earthquakes that have hit San Francisco. The History has gone as far back as 1836, and all the earthquakes range from a 5.6- 7.8. Currently the 1906 Earthquake was the biggest being a 7.8. The People of San Francisco recovered quickly after the fire, and by 1909 all of the damaged buildings were rebuilt taller and stronger.Although about 28,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed by the 1906 Earthquake and Fire, about 20,500 brand new buildings replaced them and started the heart of San Francisco.Some people said that they recovered too quickly. The earthquake hit on a wednesday and plumbers had already got to work fixing the lines by

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