My first image posting so I might really screw this up. Apologies if so.
Posted on 07/29/2017 4:14:28 PM PDT by mairdie
A set of videos from the 1989 San Francisco earthquake. After Part 1, I edited the tapes VERY heavily, so I'd suggest starting with something after the first confusions, like Parts 2 or 3 or 4.
My first image posting so I might really screw this up. Apologies if so.
The 1989 Lima Prieta damaged Watsonville and Santa Cruz heavily. Yeah the Bay Atea suffered. I lived through it.
I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I went to our IBM Research lab in San Jose just after and saw an office where the wall separated from the floor, just as it was meant to do. Terrifying.
I lived near Los Gatos. Highway 17 had ripples in it. Had iur redwood fence go down. The four by four posts snapped like toothpicks. Nothing major except loss of water electric and gas
If you haven’t seen the footage of Market Street shot just a couple of days before the 1906 quake, one version is here: https://youtu.be/8YRbMMqj0qw
I remember watching the ‘89 quake as it happened. It was during the pregame of the World Series. The first reaction to an earthquake (I’ve been in a few) is always a look to someone else as if to say, “Did you feel/hear that? Or am I going crazy?” Anyway I realized that the freeways had pancaked long before the East Coast network anchors seemed to. They were showing footage but weren’t really looking at it. I can’t imagine the horror of seeing the top deck coming down in front of you and knowing it’s going to happen to you as well.
I watched the main corridor in my factory in Milpitas twist and warp while I was on the way to fab.
Opened the door and shouted “Didi! Didi!” (Vietnamese for “Get out! Get out!) to my technicians.
I don’t speak Vietnamese...
I was in midst of recruiting a hi tech candidate from there...left messages...wanted to help...never heard back ...never knew what happened to her...
Thanks for the link, hanamizu. Fascinating. There were so many civilians who seemed to swarm the bridge before the first responders blocked access who tried to help. Impressive, unsung heroes.
Thanks for the link, dfwgator. I spent yesterday and today heavily editing those four 3-hour tapes and didn’t really have the energy to pull out individual pieces this time. That’s in two of the tapes, but a direct link is wonderful.
It’s worth noting that a 5.1 quake at a 26.6km depth hit the coast off Eureka, CA just at the southern end of the Northwest subduction zone where a really big quake is expected soon.
I’d been on that stretch perhaps a dozen times, and every single time I’d look at the bottom of the top deck and say to myself “I wonder what this would do in an earthquake?” Every. Single. Time.
I have a first cousin living in that city. Now I’ll spend the night worrying. There’s a reason I live near Boston.
Still can’t get over the irony that the Earthquake happened when both Bay Area teams were in the World Series.
The 1936 movie “San Francisco” had a scene where an iconic house was blown up to make a firebreak from the 1906 earthquake. In reality the house survived just fine. Not so from the 89 quake. It had to be demolished.
Never realized that fascinating factoid. Thanks. Love strange facts. Like that the pharaohship of Egypt descended thru the daughter and not the son.
Another wonderful fact! Loved Clark Gable in that movie.
Always amazed at what Fear can do.....
I must say, though, Al Michaels was as cool as a cucumber.
Used to drive that stretch on the way to see relatives several times a year. Was always going (under my breath) Not now. Not now.....
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