More than 80,000 people perished as a result of the quake, while an estimated 4 million ...read more, The powerful earthquake killed more than 10,000 and left another 30,000 others injured and as many as a quarter of a million people homeless. [45] The 1994 Northridge earthquake greatly affected the CSUN campus, damaging much of its infrastructure, and causing multiple fires and explosions throughout the campus. The real quake struck only weeks before filming was completed. The main courtroom set was in shambles. Another important factor was that the building and safety codes in Los Angeles had been strengthened following a powerful quake in the San Fernando Valley in 1971 (also called the Sylmar Earthquake). Although several commercial buildings also collapsed, loss of life was minimized because of the early morning hour of the quake, and because it also occurred on a federal holiday (Martin Luther King Jr. Day). Angel Stadium of Anaheim (then known as Anaheim Stadium) suffered some damage when the scoreboard fell into the seats. Most casualties and damage occurred in multi-story wood frame buildings (such as the three-story Northridge Meadows apartment building). Also, because of known seismic activity in California, area building codes dictate that buildings incorporate structural design intended to withstand earthquakes. By KTAR Newsroom January 16, 2014 at 5:00 pm. The set, which is at ABC Television Center, suffered major damage, including partial structural collapse and water damage. The quake had a duration of approximately 10–20 seconds, and its peak ground acceleration of 1.82 g0 (17.8 m/s2)[7][8] was the highest ever instrumentally recorded in an urban area in North America. Many classes were moved to temporary structures. Los Angeles' radio and television stations were knocked off the air, but resumed coverage later. LOS ANGELES – The 1994 Northridge earthquake shook Los Angeles residents from their sleep, caused freeways to crumble and flattened buildings. Subscribe for fascinating stories connecting the past to the present. The quake produced unusually strong ground accelerations in the range of 1.0 g. Damage was also caused by fire and landslides. The 1994 Northridge earthquake, however, resulted in … The game scheduled against the Sacramento Kings was postponed, the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers was relocated to The Forum (then the home arena of the Los Angeles Lakers), and the game against the New York Knicks was moved to the Arrowhead Pond (now Honda Center) in Anaheim. A coccidioidomycosis outbreak following the Northridge, Calif, earthquake. The quake was caused by the sudden rupture of a previously undocumented blind thrust fault. Strong ground motion was felt as far away as Las Vegas, Nevada, about 220 miles (350 km) from the epicenter. The airport was reopened in stages after the quake. [50] The Fine Arts Building and the South Library experienced internal structural damage, resulting in the demolition and replacement of both buildings. Because of these revelations, building codes were revised. More than 8,700 were injured including 1,600 who required hospitalization. It was closed for the second time since the Loma Prieta earthquake. The Northridge earthquake was notable for hitting almost the same exact area as the Mw 6.6 San Fernando (Sylmar) earthquake. The duo spoke to Los Angeles-area residents about their situation. Following the Northridge disaster, which was responsible for estimated damages in excess of $20 billion, the majority of insurance companies representing homeowners in California severely restricted–or completely stopped offering—new policies because the law required them to also offer earthquake coverage. NBC station KNBC was the first television station to go on the air, with reporter Joe Rico beginning the station's coverage just two minutes after the earthquake began[54] while anchors Kent Shocknek, Carla Aragon, Colleen Williams and Chuck Henry were producing special reports throughout the morning. https://www.history.com/topics/natural-disasters-and-environment/1994-northridge-earthquake. When the Northridge earthquake struck at 4:31 a.m. on January 17, 1994, it left much of the city in ruins with buildings and freeways collapsed. The pe… The most notable was to the Santa Monica Freeway, Interstate 10, known as the busiest freeway in the United States, congesting nearby surface roads for three months while the freeway was repaired. The University of Southern California suffered some structural damage to several older campus buildings, but classes were conducted as scheduled. 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