An earthquake is shaking or trembling of the earth that is volcanic or tectonic in origin. "A broadly satisfying explanation of the majority of earthquakes can be given in terms of what is called plate tectonics. The basic idea is that the Earth's outermost part also called the lithosphere consists of several large and fairly stable slabs of solid and relatively rigid rock called plates" (Branely 154). These plates continuously move pushing and rubbing against each …showed first 75 words of 1144 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1144 total…gas and water mains ruptured, sending geysers shooting up through broken pavement and drowning some residents who were pinned in the wreaked building. Fifty fires burned in the business district but, no sirens rang because, the emergency battery shattered at the first shock." (Matthys 108). As the city counted their losses they found over 500 dead, 5,000 injured and 100,000 homeless. Alexander McAdie a San Francisco citizen said "what wasn't divested by the earthquake was divested by the aftermath".