Magnitude 6.7 (ELEVEN YEARS AGO TODAY) Northridge, CA 1994 Jan 17 12:30:55 UTC local time 4:30AM

USGS Earthquake Hazards ^ | 17 January 1994

[bd476]

Earthquake Hazards Program: Northridge, California 1994 01 17

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Large Earthquakes in the United States Northridge, California 1994 01 17 12:30:55 UTC (local time: 4:30 a.m.) Magnitude 6.7 Sixty people were killed, more than 7,000 injured, 20,000 homeless and more than 40,000 buildings damaged in Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange and San Bernardino Counties. Severe damage occurred in the San Fernando Valley: maximum intensities of (IX) were observed in and near Northridge and in Sherman Oaks. Lesser, but still significant damage occurred at Fillmore, Glendale, Santa Clarita, Santa Monica, Simi Valley and in western and central Los Angeles. Damage was also sustained to Anaheim Stadium. Collapsed overpasses closed sections of the Santa Monica Freeway, the Antelope Valley Freeway, the Simi Valley Freeway and the Golden State Freeway. Fires caused additional damage in the San Fernando Valley and at Malibu and Venice. Preliminary estimates of damage are between 13 and 20 billion U.S. dollars. Felt throughout much of southern California and as far away as Turlock, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Richfield, Utah and Ensenada, Mexico. The maximum recorded acceleration exceeded 1.0g at several sites in the area with the largest value of 1.8g recorded at Tarzana, about 7 km south of the epicenter. A maximum uplift of about 15 cm occurred in the Santa Susana Mountains and many rockslides occurred in mountain areas, blocking some roads. Some ground cracks were observed at Granada Hills and in Potrero Canyon. Some liquefaction occurred at Simi Valley and in some other parts of the Los Angeles Basin. USGS Response to an Urban Earthquake Northridge '94 Northridge Earthquake Research Products

[bd476]

Remembering the 1994 Northridge, California quake and those who lost their lives, those who lost loved ones and those who survived.

Forty minutes from now, it will have been exactly ten years ago a 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck Northridge, California.

[bd476]

Ping.

[commonguymd]

Can't believe it has already been ten years.....

[bd476]

THE FACTS
Time: January 17, 1994 4:31 PST
Location: 34° 12.80'N 118° 32.22'W
20 miles WNW of Los Angeles
1 mile SSW of Northridge
Depth: 18.4 km
Magnitude: Mw6.7
Fault: Northridge Thrust (also known as Pico Thrust)
Rupture Area: 300 km2
Economic Loss: $20-$40 billion
Deaths: 57 people
Displaced from homes: 20,000+ people

[Jet Jaguar]

I was gonna say that.

[DaveMSmith]

I was living in West LA near Santa Monica then.... I remember that day very well.

[bd476]

Agree! I was feeling a bit jumpy too - probably from listening to Art Bell who is interviewing the author of "The Bible Code" and another book about Howard Hughes.

Cats started meowing incessantly and very loudly which is always irritating.

So I tried heating up a cuppa tea in the microwave. The six month old microwave oven sputtered then a flash and an arc shot out from the back.

Then the kitchen sink suddenly was plugged up. All coincidental, of course, LOL.

[shield]

Is another one coming soon? There are several folks whose been saying CA in LA area will be hit within next 2 wks. This earthquake will cause a cascade effect...many more to soon follow throughout the American West.

[bd476]

Ping.

[bd476]

shield said: "...There are several folks whose been saying CA in LA area will be hit within next 2 wks..."

Who, what, when and where do who say what?! Please tell me you're kidding. :(

[watsonfellow]

I remember the day clearly. But my friend, it's been eleven years. We are now in the year of our Lord 2005.

[bd476]

It's hard to explain, isn't it. I was in Sherman Oaks, where supposedly there was a second quake nearly simultaneous to the Northridge quake, making the total impact equivalent to a 9.0 quake.

There were 9 buildings on my block which came down. Miraculously, my building was eventually green tagged. Of course the innards were shook like they'd been put through a blender.

[shield]

I read this info yesterday...I'll have to go find it didn't save it. I'm not kidding. I wish I was.

[bd476]

Oooops.

Logical and long story why I got confused on it being 10 years instead of 11. ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! LOL.

[nightdriver]

Eleven years ago (as of right now, as a matter of fact) I was driving north through the city of Everett, Washington on Interstate 5 when all the lights went out. Complete darkness except for the automobile lights on the roads.

Seems the earthquake in So. California tripped off most of the electrical utilities' generators, and since the Northwest supplies so much electricity to California, our generators overloaded too, and tripped off.

Wierd feeling seeing complete darkness in a large city at 4 AM.

[commonguymd]

I suggest turning Art Bell off. My younger brother was a fan years back, and was convinced that contrails were messing with our minds. Art can make you jumpy and a bit paranoid. You didn't by chance drop a piece of the tinfoil from your hat into the microwave when you were heating up the cup of tea did you?? lol

[commonguymd]

11 years - Even worse. In a few mere minutes I have aged another year in my mind now. I was already having problems adjusting to the fact that this reminded me that I am getting old. thanks.

[watsonfellow]

No, it's understandable. In fact in university and prep school, I would constantly write the previous year on my essays etc well into March.

I am from Los Angeles and remember the earthquake well. I was a sophomore in prep school and as soon as the earthquake started, oddly enough, I started to run down the stairs....and took a massive tumble.

Anyway, what I remember most about this earthquake was how much damage schools sustained and how fortunate we were that it happened well before schools started.

[bd476]

Whew, that's spooky. Washington has enough worries with Mt. St. Helens, rain, snow and elections.

[watsonfellow]

No problem.......just think, in a few short years, the 2000's will be a distant memory. Odd, no?