San Francisco Earthquake……
April 18, 1906…….
One of the most violent U.S. earthquakes ever recorded hits San Francisco, destroying 25,000 buildings and killing thousands of people. Over 80% of San Francisco was destroyed by the earthquake and ensuing fires. The disaster also inflicted considerable damage to Santa Rosa, essentially destroying the entire downtown area.
Although the Richter magnitude scale was not in use in 1906, the most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the quake is 7.9. Estimates of the number of people killed range between 700 to 3,000 or more. The main shock was preceded by a strong foreshock by about 20 to 25 seconds. The main shock lasted about 42 seconds, followed by decades of minor earthquakes. Between 227,000 and 300,000 people were left homeless out of a population of about 410,000.
Oklahoma City Bombing……
April 19, 1995…….
The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, is bombed, killing 168, injuring more than 680 others, and causing $652 million worth of damage. It was the largest domestic terrorist attack in the United States up to that date. The attack was perpetrated by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. McVeigh claimed that the bombing was revenge against the government for the sieges at Waco, Texas and Ruby Ridge. McVeigh was executed and Nichols was sentenced to life in prison with possibility of parole.
Columbine High School Massacre……
April 20, 1999…….
Two students, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, go on a shooting rampage at their Colorado high school, killing twelve students and a teacher, wounding twenty-four others, and then commit suicide. Harris and Klebold had constructed a series of bombs, but only the smaller bombs detonated properly. They had placed two large backpack bombs in the cafeteria which failed to explode. Had the bombs properly detonated, it is estimated that 500 or more would have died instantly. When the bombs failed to explode, they began shooting in the area of the cafeteria killing three students and then proceeded to library killing nine students and a teacher. They then committed suicide.