An earthquake that measured 8.3 on the Richter scale devastated Chicago and toppled the Sears Tower. The quake killed at least 100,000 people, and none of the 2,500 people in the Sears Tower survived.
The first-ever earthquake to hit the Midwest also levelled the city's Skyway on the South Side and allowed Lake Michigan and the Chicago River to flood the entire downtown area. It could be felt as far away as Milwaukee.
One resident was shocked to find out that the Sears Tower had collapsed. "It's a sad thing to lose a great skyscraper," said the resident, who worked in the tower.
Another resident, who had moved to Chicago from California, also got the shock of a lifetime. She said: "I thought they don't have earthquakes in Chicago. Guess I was wrong."
The quake forced the Cubs and White Sox to move their home games elsewhere. The White Sox have already agreed to play in St. Louis until they can get back to Comiskey Park, and the Cubs are talking to the Baltimore Orioles about sharing Camden Yards.
An investigation is underway to try to figure out exactly why the earthquake hit Chicago.
