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NEWS RELEASE 17th March 2006
The Great San Francisco Earthquake
Just after 5.12am on 18th April 1906, residents of central California were awoken by a brief but powerful jolt in the ground beneath them. About twenty seconds later, the full force of a huge earthquake was let loose, with violent shaking lasting for almost a full minute.
Above: 1906 San Francisco earthquake damage. UC REGENTS, NATL. INFORMATION SERVICE FOR EARTHQUAKE ENGINEERING
A 430-kilometre long section of the San Andreas fault had slipped by up to eight metres in places, the tremendous energy release registering 7.9 on the Richter Scale. Right in the middle of the rip was the city of San Francisco. The prolonged, powerful shaking combined with local soil conditions caused unprecedented urban devastation. This infamous earthquake, and the fires that followed, resulted in up to 3000 deaths in central California, made almost a quarter of a million homeless and caused $400 million of damage (in 1906 dollars).
San Francisco was the first natural disaster of its kind to be extensively photographed. The incredible images captured at that time are now part of the Karl V. Steinbrugge Collection of the National Information Service for Earthquake Engineering (NISEE), within the University of California at Berkeley. This unique resource contains over 15,000 images showing earthquake damage from all over the world, and research into how to limit damage through engineering. Maria Storey, Sales and Marketing Director comments "SPL is delighted to be representing this unique collection. These haunting images capture the devastation and shock of the 1906 earthquake. However, the contemporary earthquake and associated research imagery will also be valuable to our customers."
For more information and photographs contact Maria Storey, Sales & Marketing Director, Science Photo Library, 327-329 Harrow Road, London W9 3RB. Tel: 020 7432 1100, Fax: 020 7286 8668, maria.storey@sciencephoto.com
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