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   1994: LOS ANGELES EARTHQUAKE   

Background

 

  • The Northridge earthquake occurred on January 17, 1994, in Reseda, California, lasting for about 10–20 seconds.

  • It had a "strong" moment magnitude of 6.7, but the ground acceleration was one of the highest ever instrumentally recorded in an urban area in North America.

  • Strong ground motion felt as far away as Las Vegas, Nevada, over 270 miles away.

  • Caused an estimated $20 billion in damage, making it one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.

  • Numerous fires were also caused by broken gas pipes due to houses shifting off foundations or unsecured water heaters falling over.

  • In the San Fernando Valley, several underground gas and water mains were severed, resulting in some streets experiencing simultaneous fires and floods.

Life Threatening Toll: Injury and Death

 

  • 57 people were killed.

  • Over 8,700 people were injured.

  • 1,600 people required hospitalization.

  • Most casualties occurred in multi-story wood frame buildings (e.g. the three-story Northridge Meadows apartment building).

Damage to Interstate 5

Collapsed apartment building

Photos courtesy of Robert A. Eplett/CAL EMA, http://w3.calema.ca.gov/Operational/OESHome.nsf/PhotoGalleryReport?OpenForm&Key=Earthquake

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