Copyright Information: All images are in the public domain and available for free. If you use this image, credit NOAA/NGDC, Eric Swenson, U.S. Geological Survey. |
One of the camps set up for earthquake victims is depicted. Similar camps were established on the hills, parks, and open spaces of the city. Five days after the earthquake, rains brought indescribable suffering to the tens of thousands of people camped in the open. Few people had waterproof covering initially. The downpour aggravated the unsanitary condition of the camps and added numbers of pneumonia cases to the already crowded regular and temporary hospitals of the city. Eventually tents such as these were provided to the 300,000 homeless. Image Credit: Eric Swenson. U.S. Geological Survey April 18, 1906 San Francisco USA earthquake The 1906 San Francisco earthquake was the largest event (magnitude 8.3) to occur in the conterminous United States in the 20th Century. Recent estimates indicate that as many as 3,000 people lost their lives in the earthquake and ensuing fire. In terms of 1906 dollars, the total property damage amounted to about $24 million from the earthquake and $350 million from the fire. The fire destroyed 28,000 buildings in a 520-block area of San Francisco. Event Data:
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