Community Corner

Viewfinder: The Wrath of the Bay Area's Biggest Earthquakes

A look back at historic earthquakes that tore parts of the Bay Area apart.

Cities were torn apart by the major earthquakes over the last hundred years. The 1906 earthquake alone caused millions of dollars of damage to the epicenter in San Francisco, and killed hundreds of people. The shaking lasted for a minute or less.

The Loma Prieta earthquake, magnitude 6.9, struck the Bay Area on Oct. 17, 1989 5:04 p.m. It collapsed bridges, freeways and racked up an estimated $10 billion in damage. 

Scientists say there's a 62 percent chance that next big one will strike the Bay Area before 2032. Here's a look at the destruction caused by past quakes — historic photos provide a window into the damage. 

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Click through the photos to view historic photographs, courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey.


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