Northridge USA 1994 (6.7 on Richter scale)

Effects

  • Buildings collapsed they were built on a blind thrust fault, so land buckled.
  • 57 people died.
  • Infrastructure ruined, extensive damage to parking structures/freeway overpasses.
  • Most damage occurred in multi-story frame blocks.
  • Numerous fires due to broken gas pipes, 250 gas mains broken.
  • Scoreboard at Anaheim Stadium collapsed.
  • Landslides occurred, these blocked roads.
  • Liquefaction amongst some alluvium (material deposited by a river) in upper San Fernando Valley.
  • 11,000 homes destroyed.
  • Nine overpasses collapsed.
  • Mountains rose by about 30cm.

Response

  • Declared a federal disaster by President Clinton.
  • Hundreds of FEMA (federal emergency management agency) workers deployed to the area to help communities recover.
  • 600,000 applied for state and federal disaster aid.
  • FEMA spent millions helping the area to recover.