Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

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

Posted on 01/17/2005 3:45:05 AM PST by bd476

Earthquake Hazards Program: Northridge, California 1994 01 17

"The USGS Earthquake Hazards Program provides earthquake information for current and past earthquakes, hazards and preparedness information, and education resources for teachers and students."

U.S. Geological Survey Home Page Earthquake Hazards Program Home Page National Earthquake Information Center Home Page
         
   HOME | ABOUT US | EQ GLOSSARY | FOR TEACHERS | PRODUCTS & SERVICES | DID YOU FEEL IT? | FAQ | SEARCH   

EQ Facts & Lists


Large Earthquakes in the United States

Northridge, California
1994 01 17 12:30:55 UTC (local time: 4:30 a.m.)
Magnitude 6.7

Northridge, California

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.

1994 Northridge, California Earthquake

USGS Response to an Urban Earthquake Northridge '94

Northridge Earthquake Research Products


 

 



TOPICS: Extended News; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: aftershocks; california; earthquakes; epicenters; faults; focus; foreshocks; geologists; geophysics; hazards; hypocenters; intensity; intensityscales; magnitudes; magnitudescales; mercalli; moment; northridge; plates; probability; quakesprobabilities; richter; seismic; seismicity; seismograms; seismographs; seismologists; seismology; subduction; tremors; unitedstates; waves; world
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 next last
To: commonguymd
commonguymd said: "...I suggest turning Art Bell off..."

BAH!

and

"...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..."

Actually, no, just the silver spoon. < /just kidding >

How does one explain the cats meowing/howling in the middle of the night, a nearly brand new microwave sending an arc out the back, or my sink suddenly plugging up all by itself?

Besides I always thought contrails were made by bored fighter pilots in training.

21 posted on 01/17/2005 4:25:30 AM PST by bd476 (God Bless those in harm's way and bring peace to those who have lost loved ones today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: watsonfellow

Goes faster every year. (as I gaze at my bottle of geritol)


22 posted on 01/17/2005 4:26:21 AM PST by commonguymd (My impatience is far more advanced than any known technology.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: watsonfellow
A tumble down a flight of stairs is no laughing matter. Glad you survived.

Do you recall the quake which knocked down the walls of the parking garage at Cal State Northridge? I believe that was during the Landers quake, although it is possible that it happened during the Northridge quake.

There was a female student just getting out of her car when the walls fell on her. Very sad.

23 posted on 01/17/2005 4:29:19 AM PST by bd476 (God Bless those in harm's way and bring peace to those who have lost loved ones today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: shield

Please post it here when you find it. Thanks!


24 posted on 01/17/2005 4:30:41 AM PST by bd476 (God Bless those in harm's way and bring peace to those who have lost loved ones today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: bd476

One would have to wonder how a sink would suddenly plug itself up.

Methinks you have a ghost. Yes, an aberration floating around trying to get you to turn off Mr. Bell. They sense bad karma and want to warn you. yep, thats my explanation and I am sticking to it.

I have a solution for cat's meowing and howling here. I send my fearless cat hunters out (Maggie the Welsch Corgi and Kelly the Siberian Husky). Neither has scored a kill, but they do chase them away quite well.


25 posted on 01/17/2005 4:31:49 AM PST by commonguymd (My impatience is far more advanced than any known technology.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: commonguymd

ROFL!


26 posted on 01/17/2005 4:32:26 AM PST by bd476 (God Bless those in harm's way and bring peace to those who have lost loved ones today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: bd476

Yeah...I remember it....On Duarte Road in San Gabriel at the time. The apartment building was dancing to rock and roll....


27 posted on 01/17/2005 4:34:43 AM PST by Route101
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bd476

Perhaps tumbled is inaccurate, more like skidded feet first. I sustained no real injuries. But I do remember how our neighborhood (in the Miracle Mile) rallied together and the Widow next door spent three days with us. She had worked at Paramount and had a massive video collection, so it was a fair bargain!


28 posted on 01/17/2005 4:41:06 AM PST by watsonfellow
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: commonguymd
Yeah, well I'd have a Corgi and a Lab with the cats if I could have dogs here. These are two neutered strictly indoor cats who are usually pretty hip about keeping quiet at night.

They go bonkers before and during quakes.

A ghost, eh? Hmm. Assuming your nick is accurate, do you believe in ghosts? I am in the undecided category leaning heavily into the doubt column but only because I have not seen one.

And, aw gee thanks for mentioning karmic retribution. I like Art Bell - he's like popcorn (or any junk food) for the mind - fun, silly, interesting, and much better than going to a scary movie.

But because you had to bring up karma I have turned off the radio. :P

Get those two puppies of yours on a leash. :)

29 posted on 01/17/2005 4:43:45 AM PST by bd476 (God Bless those in harm's way and bring peace to those who have lost loved ones today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: bd476

Yes, it was the Northridge quake which tumbled down that parking garage. There was also an apartment building near campus that went from 3 stories high to 2. The first floor was completely smashed. Several people died in there, including students.

I was going to school there then and many buildings on campus were damaged. They had to bring in trailers and other temporary structures to hold classes in. Spring semester was a few weeks delayed in starting, and so was my graduation. I thought for sure that they'd close the campus down for several months and that I wouldn't be able to graduate until then end of fall! Amazing, actually, that they pulled it off so soon!


30 posted on 01/17/2005 4:44:35 AM PST by mom3boys (God bless the USA!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: bd476
It's hard to explain, isn't it.

I had recently moved there from Philadelphia so I was in total shock ;-)

The strange part was I woke up about 10 minutes before it started. When the shaking started, the bed was rolling around the room like in the Wizard of Oz... I saw the transformers sparking out the window and a steady sound of breaking glass. Pretty crazy.

The oddest was I worked in downtown LA on the 22nd floor in a building on Olive St... the aftershocks were quite an experience up there.

31 posted on 01/17/2005 4:44:44 AM PST by DaveMSmith (http://www.heavenlydoctrines.org)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: bd476

The Sylmar Quake was no fun either. We lived in Granada Hills, near Van Norman Dam. They thought it would break so everyone was told to leave their homes that night. Our family stayed in our house because we were to the west off Rinaldi Blvd. high enough so water would'nt get to it. But it was very strange...No power and helicopters flying over all night long....a lot of damage to the house.


32 posted on 01/17/2005 4:48:49 AM PST by Route101
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: commonguymd
Geritol with iron and Ethyl alcohol, heavy on the Ethyl alcohol. :)
33 posted on 01/17/2005 4:49:52 AM PST by bd476 (God Bless those in harm's way and bring peace to those who have lost loved ones today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: watsonfellow

That rates a gold medal in the "every cloud has a silver lining" category! Nice of you to be so neighborly.


34 posted on 01/17/2005 4:52:15 AM PST by bd476 (God Bless those in harm's way and bring peace to those who have lost loved ones today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: bd476

I hear pets can tell when an earthquake is going to happen. Stand near the door jam when possible and prepare to make a break for it. Glad I don't have to worry about earthquakes - Whew! I am so lucky. All I have to worry about is the 600 foot wall of water (Tsunami) that they keep telling us will happen here on the east coast.


I know how to swim.


35 posted on 01/17/2005 4:53:56 AM PST by commonguymd (My impatience is far more advanced than any known technology.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: bd476

Goes good with denture adhesive.


36 posted on 01/17/2005 4:54:31 AM PST by commonguymd (My impatience is far more advanced than any known technology.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: mom3boys
That is amazing. Congratulations on being able to graduate on time. Those were bizarre weeks following the quake. I remembering wanting to move far, far away. The clean-up was unbelievable.

The stores were closed, we were told not to drink the water, so a friend in Santa Clarita brought down cases of beer bottles filled with the strangest tasting water which I unfortunately drank.

37 posted on 01/17/2005 4:57:19 AM PST by bd476 (God Bless those in harm's way and bring peace to those who have lost loved ones today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: commonguymd

LOL!


38 posted on 01/17/2005 4:57:53 AM PST by bd476 (God Bless those in harm's way and bring peace to those who have lost loved ones today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: DaveMSmith
My first thought was 4:30 a.m. is a lousy time for a quake. Then the thing didn't stop. I won't share my next several moments of uhm... thinking, LOL.

I do recall hanging onto both sides of my bed, praying that I wouldn't get tossed out. When the shaking stopped I heard my next door neighbor scream "Gas leak! Gas leak! Everybody out! The building's going to blow! Get out! Get out!"

He later apologized and said that the quake had awakened him from a strange dream.

What's really hard to imagine is that you returned to your job on the 22nd floor in a building on Olive St.
"What were you... nuts?!"

39 posted on 01/17/2005 5:06:20 AM PST by bd476 (God Bless those in harm's way and bring peace to those who have lost loved ones today.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: bd476

I remember it well. We got a hard, hard shake all the way in Whittier/La Mirada. I recall a couple of pretty good aftershocks as well. The 1971 Sylmar quake still remains the Queen Mother of shakers for me though...whew...


40 posted on 01/17/2005 5:10:53 AM PST by truthkeeper (Yeah, I have a 1998 signup date. So?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson