What happened on October 17 1989 in the Bay Area?
On October 17, 1989, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay Area, killing 67 people and causing more than $5 billion in damages. The disaster is known as both as the San Francisco-Oakland earthquake and the Loma Prieta earthquake because it was centered near Loma Prieta Peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
What happened in the San Francisco earthquake 1989?
The Loma Prieta earthquake was triggered by the mighty San Andreas Fault, where the massive Pacific plate slips northwestward. During the quake, the epicenter slipped up to two meters. The Loma Prieta earthquake caused 63 deaths, 3,757 injuries, and about $6 billion in damage.
What magnitude was the 89 earthquake?
6.9
1989 Loma Prieta earthquake
| Image of collapsed Cypress freeway structure in Oakland, California | |
|---|---|
| Santa Cruz Oakland Salinas | |
| Local time | 5:04:15 p.m. PDT |
| Duration | 8–15 seconds |
| Magnitude | Mw 6.9; MS 7.2 |
Why did the Nimitz Freeway collapse?
Concurring with earlier analyses of the failures, the board said the Nimitz collapsed primarily because the joints connecting the upper and lower columns were too weak.
Why was the Loma Prieta earthquake so destructive?
Most of the damage from the Loma Prieta earthquake can be attributed to strong ground shaking, landsliding, or liquefaction. Each of these processes impacted man-made structures differently, reflecting the properties of both the structure and the underlying geologic materials.
What happened to the Cypress Street Viaduct?
When the Magnitude 7.1 Loma Prieta earthquake struck, tragedy ensued. During the earthquake, a 1.4-kilometer section of the Cypress Viaduct collapsed. As the upper level fell, slabs of concrete trapped many unsuspecting motorists. Two major factors led to the collapse of the Cypress Structure.
How many people died in the Cypress structure?
It was located along Cypress Street between 7th Street and Interstate 80 in the West Oakland neighborhood. It officially opened to traffic on June 11, 1957, and was in use until the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, when much of the upper deck collapsed onto the lower deck, killing 42 people.