Significant earthquakes of 1906

April 18, 1906 Earthquake: San Francisco, California, United States

April 18, 1906 · M7.9 · 700 deaths · $400 million · 28,188 houses destroyed

A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck San Francisco, California, United States on April 18, 1906 at 13:12:21 UTC, 20 km below the surface. It killed 700 people.

Map

Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.

The earthquake

Date
April 18, 1906
Time
13:12:21 UTC
Place
San Francisco, California, United States
Magnitude
7.9 (Mw)
Focal depth
20 km (12 mi)
Intensity
11 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Epicenter
37.670° N, 122.480° W

The toll

Deaths
700
Damage
$400 million
Houses destroyed
28,188

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Reference #1128 lists 700 deaths, $24 million dollars damage.

Reference #1248 lists $524 million dollars damage.

Reference #1250 lists 2000 deaths, $524 million dollars damage.

1906, April 18, 5:12 local time (13:12 UTC). There was a catastrophic earthquake in California, which destroyed San Francisco. It was caused by a right-hand horizontal shift of the flanks of the San Andreas fault by up to 4 1/2-6 m on a stretch of 350 to 550 km, according to different estimates. The earthquake began with weak oscillations, and lasted, according to different estimates, from 1 to 3 1/2 minutes. At San Francisco, according to official data, 28,188 homes were destroyed; about 380 people died. The fire which broke out did more damage than the earthquake itself. The destruction from seismic oscillations was largely due to the settling of filled in ground. The settling varied from 10 cm to 1 m. At several places on the coast, homes slid downward towards the sea by up to 1/2 m (2 feet). Everywhere on the high steep coast from Mendosino Cape to Cabo Delgada, on a stretch of many kilometers, slopes collapsed into the sea. On the lower coast between Shelter Cove and Point Arena, bedrocks and loose material slipped into the sea, and the water was turbid for several days after the earthquake (Reference #415).

Photos

From the NCEI/WDS Natural Hazards Image Database (doi:10.7289/V5154F01). Only photos by the USGS and NOAA, which are public domain, are shown.

Fault Trace Breaks Fence NW of Woodville
Fault Trace Breaks Fence NW of Woodville About one kilometer northwest of Woodville on the E.R. Strain farm this fence was offset 2.6 m by the main fault. Note the swerve in the fence as it approaches the fault-trace. The total displacement of the straight portions of the fence is about 3.3 m. On the Shafter ranch, a crevice momentarily opened wide enough to admit a cow and then immediately… Photo: U.S. Geological Survey.
Skinner's Barn Offset by Fault Trace
Skinner's Barn Offset by Fault Trace Nearly 13 kilometers farther north at W.D. Skinner's farm near Olema, the fence south of the barn was offset 4.7 m. The barn, beneath which the fault-trace passed, remained attached to the foundation on the southwest side, but was broken from it on the northwest side and dragged 4.8 m. The fault-trace at this location also showed vertical offset probably… Photo: G.K. Gilbert, U.S. Geological Survey.
Fault Severs House, Santa Cruz County
Fault Severs House, Santa Cruz County The fault passed under this house near Wright's Station, on the Southern Pacific Railroad, in Santa Cruz County. The house was severed by fault movement during the earthquake. Photo: R.L. Humphrey, U.S. Geological Survey.
Road Cracks Caused by Earthquake
Road Cracks Caused by Earthquake Roadway displacement near San Francisco. Road embankments were often broken by faulting or by the shaking of soft ground beneath them. Those roads built over marshes within the high intensity zone were particularly prone to cracking. Photo: U.S. Geological Survey.
Compression of Street Car Rails
Compression of Street Car Rails The compression of street car rails can be seen in this view looking south on Howard Street from 17th Street. In addition to the flow movement and the settling of the loose material causing subsidence, there was rhythmic movement in loose earth which produced wave forms in the surface with places of compression and distention. This movement contributed… Photo: G.K. Gilbert, U.S. Geological Survey.
Tipped House on Howard Street
Tipped House on Howard Street On the east side of Howard Street near 17th Street in San Francisco all houses shifted toward the left. The three-story house dropped from its south foundation wall and leaned against the neighboring house. This area, called the Mission District, was a fill area along the former course of Mission Creek. It was an area of high-intensity shaking exceeded… Photo: G.K. Gilbert, U.S. Geological Survey.
Compression of Paving in Mission District
Compression of Paving in Mission District This view is looking toward the east side of Howard Street between 17th and 18th Streets in the Mission District of San Francisco. The west side of the street (foreground) was destroyed by fire. During the earthquake bricks used in paving (foreground) were thrown upward by compression and the curbing was thrust into an inverted ""V"". Photo: U.S. Geological Survey.
Tilted Buildings Caused by Ground Failures
Tilted Buildings Caused by Ground Failures This row of 2-story buildings tilted away from the street when the ground beneath the foundations slumped. Such ground failures contributed to the shaking intensity and to the subsequent building damage. This photo was taken before fire destroyed entire block. Note billowing smoke in the sky. Photo: NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.
Horses Killed by Falling Bricks
Horses Killed by Falling Bricks These horses were killed and the wagon was crushed by falling debris. Note the welts on the horses' hide made as they struggled in the leather harness during the earthquake. Horses reportedly snorted and whinnied before the shock and tried to run when the ground motion began. The shaking was strong enough to throw some horses to the ground. Note the smoky… Photo: Eric Swenson, U.S. Geological Survey.
Severely Damaged San Francisco City Hall
Severely Damaged San Francisco City Hall The severely damaged San Francisco City Hall. The large cracks in nearby buildings indicated an intensity of shaking higher than was common in this area as a whole. However, poor quality construction was also an important factor in its destruction. The earthquake revealed shortcuts and substitutions in the construction. Photo: W.C. Mendenhall, U.S. Geological Survey.
Damage to Library at Stanford University
Damage to Library at Stanford University The library at Stanford University, Palo Alto, only 11.2 km from the rift. The new stone-faced brick structure, was completely destroyed except for a steel tower supporting its central dome. The building had just been completed and was not yet finished on the inside when the earthquake occurred. Other similar large structures on the campus were damaged… Photo: W.C. Mendenhall, U.S. Geological Survey.
Damage to Memorial Church, Stanford University
Damage to Memorial Church, Stanford University Memorial Church as seen from the inner quadrangle at Stanford University, Palo Alto. The stone tower of the church fell and destroyed the parts of the roof immediately around the tower. The gable on the north end of the church was thrown outward into the quadrangle. Photo: W.C. Mendenhall, U.S. Geological Survey.

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1906The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1906Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history

Sources

Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 2768.