On April 18, 1906, a powerful earthquake struck San Francisco and parts of northern California. The shaking, estimated at magnitude 7.8, caused widespread structural damage. Broken gas lines and other failures triggered fires that burned for days. Much of the city’s downtown was destroyed, and thousands of people were killed or left homeless. The disaster prompted major rebuilding efforts and changes in building standards. It also advanced scientific study of earthquakes and the San Andreas Fault.
