Is San Francisco prepared for the next Big One?
One hundred years ago the earthquake which hit San Francisco killed 3,000, left more than 200,000 homeless, and destroyed more than 28,000 buildings. Is the city ready for the next one?
The U.S. hurricane season runs from June through November, but earthquakes do not have a season — especially not in the San Francisco Bay Area. Two days ago marked the 100th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake which destroyed large parts of the city. The earthquake occurred at 5 a.m., and its ripple effects were felt as far north as Oregon, as far south as Los Angeles, and as far east as Nevada. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates the 1906 earthquake at 7.9 magnitude. It resulted in at least 3,000 deaths, left more than 200,000 homeless, and destroyed more than 28,000 buildings in the San Francisco fire that followed.
What is the likelihood of another Big One hitting the Bay Area? Is San Francisco prepared?
