San Francisco Struck By Tremor on 105th Anniversary of 1906 Earthquake

On the 105th anniversary of the devastating1906 San Francisco earthquake, the San Andreas fault delivered a reminder in the form of a small earthquake that shook buildings.  

1906 San Francisco earthquake

Image: Wikipedia

A 3.41 magnitude quake was reported at 2:57 p.m. on Monday afternoon by the U.S. Geological Survey, with an epicenter 8.5 miles deep located halfway between Millbrae and Pacifica, near the north end of Crystal Springs Reservoir. The tremor was felt from San Jose to Oakland. Several smaller quakes also struck the region on Monday and Tuesday.  

Credit: USGS

The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906.The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude (Mw) of 7.9; however, other values have been proposed, from 7.7 to as high as 8.25.

Arnold Genthe's famous photograph, looking toward the fire on Sacramento Street

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The main shock epicenter occurred offshore about 2 miles (3 km) from the city, near Mussel Rock. It ruptured along the San Andreas Fault both northward and southward for a total of 296 miles (477 km). Shaking was felt from Oregon to Los Angeles, and inland as far as central Nevada.

Stockton Street from Union Square, looking toward Market Street

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 The earthquake and resulting fire are remembered as one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the United States alongside the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. The death toll from the earthquake and resulting fire, estimated to be above 3,000, is the greatest loss of life from a natural disaster in California's history. The economic impact has been compared with the more recent Hurricane Katrina

Panoramic view of earthquake and fire damage from Stanford Mansion site, April 18 – 21, 1906

Image: Wikipedia