Earthquake rocks Los Angeles
On this day in 1994 an earthquake rocks Los Angeles California killing 54 people and causing billions of dollars in damages.The Northridge quake (named after the San Fernando Valley community near the epicenter) was one of the most damaging in U.S.history.It was 431 a.m.
when the 6.7-magnitude quake struck the San Fernando Valley a densely populated area of Los Angeles located 20 miles northeast of the citys downtown.With an epicenter 12 miles beneath the earths surface the earthquake caused the collapse of several apartment buildings.At the Northridge Meadows complex 16 people died all of whom lived on the first floor when the weak stucco structure fell down on them as they slept.Given the strength and location of the earthquake it was fortunate that the death toll was not far higher.
Two key factors were critical in reducing the casualties.First the quake struck in the middle of the night while nearly everyone was at home in their beds.A mall parking lot in the Valley collapsed but no one was killed because it was entirely empty.
Several highways also suffered critical failures but only one police officer died when his vehicle plunged off an overpass.The other key factor was that the citys building and safety codes were strengthened following the 1971 Sylmar quake that collapsed the San Fernando Veterans Hospital.Every building constructed after the new regulations were implemented stayed intact.Still the quake caused a huge amount of property damage over a wide area especially in the beach community of Santa Monica even though it was relatively far from the epicenter.
As much of Santa Monica stands on soil that is less solid than bedrock it suffered severe ground movement during the earthquake.The partial collapse of the Santa Monica freeway snarled traffic in Los Angeles for months.All told it is estimated that the earthquake was responsible for 20 billion in damages.
