This stunning film footage which was recently made public shows the aftermath of the massive 1906 earthquake and resulting fires that struck San Francisco. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other values have been proposed, from 7.7 to as high as 8.25. The main shock epicenter occurred offshore about 2 miles from the city, near Mussel Rock. It ruptured along the San Andreas Fault both northward and southward for a total of 296 miles. Shaking was felt from Oregon to Los Angeles, and inland as far as central Nevada. The earthquake and resulting fire are remembered as one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the United States alongside the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. The death toll from the earthquake and resulting fire, estimated to be above 3,000, is the greatest loss of life from a natural disaster in California’s history.
Wikipedia also has a stunning panorama of the city. Click HERE to see it (and then click again on the photo to open it up).
[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/15406401[/vimeo]
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And here’s a film showing what Market Street was like before the tragedy:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NINOxRxze9k[/youtube]
Source: Kotke
