
(Natural News) On the night of August 17, 1959, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck west of Yellowstone National Park. Campers fled in horror while geologists stationed in the area scrambled to document the phenomenon. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) was keen on monitoring the Yellowstone Volcano, a supervolcano that could wreak untold destruction in the event of an eruption. Nobody anticipated the earthquake at that moment.
In the wake of the disaster, 28 people died while authorities estimate damages to be worth 260 million dollars today.
The horrors of the 1959 earthquake
John D. Sanders was with his wife and two children watching a beauty contest when the quake occurred.
“We all ran outside and headed back to the motel. When we got there we saw people jumping out of windows wearing towels and bathrobes. Water was spurting from broken pipes,” he told at the time.