1994 Northridge earthquake
The 1994 Northridge earthquake was a moment magnitude 6.7 (Mw), blind thrust earthquake that occurred on January 17, 1994, at 4:30:55 a.m. PST in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles. The quake had a duration of approximately 10–20 seconds, and its peak ground acceleration of 1.82 g was the highest ever instrumentally recorded in an urban area in North America. Shaking was felt as far away as San Diego, Turlock, Las Vegas, Richfield, Phoenix, and Ensenada. The peak ground velocity at the Rinaldi Receiving Station was 183 cm/s (4.1 mph; 6.6 km/h), the fastest ever recorded.
Collapse of the Golden State Freeway | |
ShakeMap for the event created by the United States Geological Survey | |
Los Angeles Las Vegas San Diego Turlock | |
| UTC time | 1994-01-17 12:30:55 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 189275 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | January 17, 1994 |
| Local time | 4:30:55 a.m. PST |
| Duration | 10–20 seconds |
| Magnitude | 6.7 Mw |
| Depth | 11.31 mi (18.20 km) |
| Epicenter | 34.213°N 118.537°W |
| Fault | Northridge Blind Thrust Fault |
| Type | Blind thrust |
| Areas affected | Greater Los Angeles Area Southern California United States |
| Total damage | $13–50 billion (equivalent to $24–93 billion in 2021) |
| Max. intensity | MMI IX (Violent) |
| Peak acceleration | 1.82 g |
| Peak velocity | 183 cm/s |
| Casualties | 57 killed > 8,700 injured |
Two 6.0 Mw aftershocks followed, the first about one minute after the initial event and the second approximately 11 hours later, the strongest of several thousand aftershocks in all. The death toll was 57, with more than 9,000 injured. In addition, property damage was estimated to be $13–50 billion (equivalent to $24–93 billion in 2021), making it among the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.