Earthquakes

A huge earthquake rocked the West Coast on April 18, 1906. Worst hit was the city of San Francisco, where buildings collapsed and fires raged for days. Thousands of people died, and many more were left homeless. The disaster was just one of a long series of earthquakes triggered by the San Andreas Fault. It taught scientists valuable lessons about preparing for earthquakes.

In 1906, San Francisco endured one of the most devastating earthquakes to strike the United States. Within a matter of seconds, the city was thrown into chaos as the earth split open and buildings toppled over. As the dust settled, people quickly realized that the nightmare was not over. Massive fires had developed throughout San Francisco. The Army, police, and firefighters used creative strategies to put out the raging fires that were ravaging the city. The heroics of these people were all that kept San Francisco from burning to the ground.

Buildings were weaving in and out. The street pitched like a stormy sea. Bricks were raining down all around him. The ground shook with such violence that Jacob thought the world had come to an end.