Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Los Angeles, Ca
Posts: 2109

Earthquake!!!

Well, today is the anniversary of the 1971 Sylmar Earthquake here in the Los Angeles area. I was 3&1/2 years old, but I have vivid memories of that morning. The first was my brother running down the hallway towards my mother and I, the floor tossing him against the walls, first on one side then the other...

Thrust type earthquake:


I also remember the dogs barking afterwards, smoke and dust filling the air making things a hazy, pink colour.

About 30 minutes after the quake, people came around and forced us to evacuate our homes because the Van Norman Dam was about to break. If it had (which it didn't), our house would have been in 20 feet of water in about 10 minutes (estimates at the time).

We were lucky, 65 people died that early morning, most of them in the VA Hospital that collapsed 2 blocks away from our house. Also, Olive View Hospital in Sylmar suffered major damage, causing injuries and putting that hospital out of service for many years.



This quake measured 6.6 on the Richter Scale, but the motion did not make it as powerful as the 1994 Northridge Quake. I still have scars on my body from that one...

Click here for Northridge Earthquake Slide Show

The Sylmar Quake caused many new building regulations to be implemented. This prevents our quakes from being like the one they just had in India (17,000 dead). Remember, earthquakes can happen anywhere, so be prepared.

CAL



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"The desert is my church, and hunting is my god."

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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: library
Posts: 19584

we have earthquakes here from time to time, I never notice the damn things though, the strongest we have had around here in my lifetime is like 3. Big deal eh? I'd like to experience a really noticable quake and yes I know thats stupid but I want to feel that.

-m


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I like my soapbox...

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Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Texas
Posts: 2593

I was in San Bernardino during that LA Quake, CAl. My lil twin bed sat on a hardwood floor and it ended up on the other side of the room....me in it, snoring away. LOL.

I don't remember a thing, but my Dad said the big portrait over their bed fell on them and woke them up. That's all I remember.

I was in Turlock during the last SF earthquake too. I was sitting at my keyboard at work when suddenly my chair was sliding slowly across the floor and my fingers left the keyboard...I looked around and saw the walls 'swaying'. Very, very strange feeling.


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Here????? Now??????

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: All East Coast : USA
Posts: 2450

that's fucking killer man

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- brimstone

"We are the all knowing, all loving, monks of war"

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: the heart of an awl
Posts: 3692

rebar gets me hard.

and CAL, keep your subduction to yourself.

We had a little earthquake here when I was a kid. 1984? Challis? I think it was only a 5, and several hundred miles away.

the chandelier swayed, the plants fell, the dog barked.

no buildings toppling like bookshelves or earth turning to foam.

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POW!

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 3539

Shit guys, don’t you think its time to move?
From what I understand the fault lines are shifting rapidly and the quakes are only going to get worse.

I also read a thing that said New Orleans is sinking about two feet every year. They are already way below sea level...


[This message has been edited by HELL (edited 02-10-2001).]

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location: Massachusetts
Posts: 2566

Im glad I live where there arent earthquakes/volocanoes/or tornadoes.

Thats so scary CAL....



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its like getting the prize out of the cereal box

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: atlanta
Posts: 6398

Learn to swim, see you down in Arizona Bay.


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[ Insert Catchy Phrase Here ]

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Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 3539

quote:

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Originally posted by Avondale:
Learn to swim, see you down in Arizona Bay.

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