San Francisco Earthquake

The San Francisco Earthquake refers to a significant seismic event that struck the San Francisco Bay Area on April 18, 1906. It had a magnitude of approximately 7.9 and caused widespread destruction, leading to fires that lasted for several days. The quake resulted from the movement of the San Andreas Fault, a major fault line where tectonic plates slide past each other. An estimated 3,000 people died, and over 80% of the city was damaged or destroyed, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history. The event greatly influenced building codes and earthquake preparedness in the region.