The 1906: The Cause Of The Earthquake Of 1906

At 5:12 a.m. on April 18, 1906, the people of San Francisco were abruptly awaken to one of the world’s most expensive and impacting earthquakes of the 20th century. The magnitude of the earthquake is debatable, ranging from 7.7 to as high as 8.2. However, the most accepted measurement is 7.9. The main shock epicenter occurred offshore 3.2 km from the city, near Mussel Rock. It ruptured along the San Andreas Fault northward and southward for 476 km (296 miles). The quake was felt from Oregon to Los Angeles, inland as far as Nevtada. Though the earthquake was impacting in itself, it lasted less than a minute and the most damage was done by the resulting fire that lasted 4 days. The earthquake bears inexhaustible remembrance as one of the worst

Property losses have been approximated more than $400 million, which is the equivalent of a little less than $10 billion today, due to inflation. Luckily funds were raised all around the world to rebuild the United State’s busiest western trade center. Thousands of dollars were raised in London, England. Major businesses gave hugely substantial donations towards the city. Standard Oil gave $100,000, as did the leader of the steel industry, Andrew Carnegie. The United States government, led by Theodore Roosevelt, voted quickly for one million dollars in relief supplies. These included food, tents, and other disaster necessities. Because of events like the 1906 earthquake it is important to recognize the importance of rebuilding large trade centers like San Francisco. (“Dealing With Disaster: The San Francisco Earthquake of

People will be relatively safe in buildings build since the 1970’s. However, this doesn’t mean everyone is safe. In fact the majority of buildings in the city today were built before then. Some businesses will be brought to a stand still for weeks, or even months. The economic impact will of a ’06 sized quake will be between $100 billion and $200 billion, and these effects will be felt worldwide. Chances our however that the next “big one” will be bigger than the 1906 earthquake. Ultimately, the impact of natural disasters, especially earthquakes, will be something we will always have to