At the dawn of the 20th century, San Francisco was the place to be; a hub of trade and travel, business and banking. Located just to the east of the San Andreas Fault, the bay area is interlaced with eight major earthquake... more »-producing faults. We examine the cataclysmic earthquake that struck on April 18, 1906--it jolted the city for 50 seconds, the earth split for 270 miles, and a resulting firestorm raged for three days. Amazing photographs document the city's destruction and efforts to rebuild. But the rush to get back in business came at a price--the city was rebuilt on the same seismic hazards. Now scientists warn that if it happens again damage and casualties will be much worse. The potential catastrophe unfolds through state-of-the-art graphics with bridges collapsing, high-rise fires, and freeways destroyed. A similar seismic jolt today would lead to a mega-disaster in San Francisco, with billions of dollars in damage and casualties in the tens of thousands.« less