Lying close to the San Andreas Fault, San Francisco is periodically subject to destruction in the form of earthquakes. The two most famous are:

• Loma Prieta Earthquake - 1989 - Magnitude 6.9
• 1906 Earthquake - Magnitude ~7.7-8.3

However, smaller temblors are also common. Sign up for the city's emergency notification system at AlertSF.org just in case.

• October 30, 2007: A 5.6-magnitude quake hit Alum Rock near the eastern edge of San Jose. According to the Chronicle, this was the strongest earthquake to hit the Bay Area since the Loma Prieta. An article about this quake appeared as a top story on CNN's website later that evening.