Talk:Northridge earthquake

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

	Portal This article is part of WikiProject Earthquakes, a project to systematically present information on earthquakes, seismology, plate tectonics, and related subjects. If you would like to participate, you can choose to edit the article attached to this page (see Wikipedia:Contributing FAQ for more information), or join by visiting the project page.
???	This article has not yet received a rating on the quality scale.
???	This article has not yet received a rating on the importance scale for WikiProject Earthquakes.
	If you have rated this article please consider adding assessment comments. Help with this template

	California Portal This article falls within the scope of WikiProject Southern California, a WikiProject interested in improving the encyclopedic coverage and content of articles relating to Southern California, its people, history, accomplishments and other topics. If you would like to help out, you are welcome to drop by the project page and/or leave a query at the project's talk page.
	This article is also supported by WikiProject California.
Article Grading: The article has not been rated for quality and/or importance yet. Please rate the article and then leave comments here to explain the ratings and/or to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the article.

There was a three-story apartment building in which the middle floor collapsed during or immediately after the quake. It dominated the news at the time (I lived in Gardena, CA back then) but doesn't seem to be mentioned here. http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/seg/hazard/slideset/18/18_369_slide.shtml I am unfamiliar with proper wiki formatting, but I thought this is pertinent information that might need to be added to the article.

I believe you're referring to the Northridge Meadows apartments, which structure is discussed under the structural failures section. Bob Kerns (talk) 18:37, 26 December 2007 (UTC)

Contents 1 Conflicting Cost Claims: Loma Prieta vs. Northridge 2 Conflicting Claims: Number of Deaths 3 Freeway images 4 Message from 161.97.211.72 5 what caused the northridge earthquake 6 what caused it? 7 Epicenter in Reseda

[edit] Conflicting Cost Claims: Loma Prieta vs. Northridge

I see the Loma Prieta earthquake article makes the claim that Loma Prieta was the costliest US natural disaster. That would seem to be in conflict with the statement in this article that Northridge was the most costly US quake or some such (I'm paraphrasing both here, these are not exact quotes). These appear to me to be mutually exclusive statements that need to be reconciled for article accuracy. Thoughts? FeloniousMonk 22:40, 2 May 2005 (UTC)

I agree that this should be addresed. I assume Wikipedia:Cite your sources would be the principle to apply. Where can we find that makes this claim? If we can't, then remove it to the talk page. Anyone want to step up and do the google and literature(sp) search? JesseW 07:10, 8 Jun 2005 (UTC)

I also agree that there should be some sources cited...I am from California and experienced the Loma Prieta quake first-hand. As far as the damage done, I would say that Loma Prieta appeared to cause more; this, of course, is anecdotal evidence. I'll look for some other sources. I am, however, going to add the Coalinga Earthquake to the list of three destructive earthquakes. For some reason, this got missed. JustinStroud 18:26, 7 March 2006 (UTC)

Interesting...I found the cited source on the bottom, the 'Insurance Information Institute'. I'm curious, though...does this figure include all the rebuilding that took place in SF and the Bay Area? I don't think it does...it would be interesting to see a more representative figure. JustinStroud 18:32, 7 March 2006 (UTC)

If you reexamine the LP statement, it states that "The quake caused an estimated $6 billion in property damage, becoming the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history of its time." -Absolutely true and not in conflict. The LP quake preceeded Northridge and was the most expensive disaster at that time. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.252.206.204 (talk) 06:02, 9 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Conflicting Claims: Number of Deaths

The first and third paragraphs disagree as to how many deaths (72 vs 57). Both may be reasonable based on citations, but both need citations! Bob Kerns (talk) 18:32, 26 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Freeway images

I've uploaded three images of the fallen 10 freeway that I took near my house. I'm not much of a photo editor, so they still need some work on croping, enlarging the important elements, and so on. I hope that some kind soul from the community could help with this. If you need larger pixel images, let me know. (The source is normal size photo prints, so I'm not sure how much more resolution can be usefully gained, though.) If you feel that there are too many pictures, please add more text, or other pictures, rather than removing them (or at least, explain your reasoning here. ;-) ) JesseW 07:10, 8 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Added link to CSSC web-page showing significant California earthquakes (which needs to be updated). While Northridge did cause significantly more damage than the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, dollar amounts are always approximate and in any case, should probably be adjusted somehow for inflation. Eliminated mention of damaging earthquakes in 23 years; there were several others in that time period that caused damage and at least two caused casualties (Whittier and Landers)as well and 23 years seems somewhat arbitary.

Removed part about Anaheim City council and revised sentence on thrust acceleration. As written it made no sense.

[edit] Message from 161.97.211.72

Hey everyone! This earthquake... it sounds awful. My Grandparents were living in Northridge and still are. im going to ask them about about the event over Thanksgiving break. if anyone could help me with this that would be great!!!!!!!!! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 161.97.211.72 (talk • contribs) .

Most editors on the Wikipedia are willing to help edit articles. You can leave a message here, or you can contact one of us on our user talk page (the link to mine is User talk:BlankVerse). Keep in mind that you want to find out useful facts that you can add to an encyclopedia article. Good pictures that you could upload and license to the Wikipedia would also be useful. ^BlankVerse 16:10, 18 November 2005 (UTC)

What would you like to know, I was living in LA near Sepulveda and Olympic Blvd., the motion of the pounding would not allow me to get up out of bed for several minutes which seemed longer than that. Im happy to say to this day, Im a survivor.

[edit] what caused the northridge earthquake

I want to know whay caused the earthquake?

Simple answer: Plate techtonics

I don't understand the association with MLK's birthday. I do not see any valid reason to mention this. If it had happened on Truman's birthday, would Wikipedia make such a fuss?

It was important to mention, because it was a part of a three-day-weekend, where many people were not going to work or school. The morning was relatively calm, and if it had been just a regular day, I can bet there would have been more people hurt.

As the earthquake occured at 4:30am, the number of casualties probably wouldn't have been very different as it's still the middle of the night when most people are sleeping. But I do agree that the MLK Day is mentioned because it was a legal holiday that is notable. Harry Truman's birthday is not a holiday and I'm guessing, justified or not, most people don't even know what part of the year Truman was born or care. --Marriedtofilm 05:45, 4 October 2006 (UTC).

Harry Truman's birthday is a holiday; it is VE Day.

There might have been more people out there if had not been a holiday, even at 4:30am. But the other important thing is that because it was a holiday, it probably helped keep people off the roads after the quake instead of trying to get to work. It took a while to assess the damage and not everyone who commutes into LA would have felt the strength. Plus there were some significant aftershocks throughout the day, which caused more damage. Just my two cents based on being there. (Also near Sepulveda and Olympic, oddly enough).

Hi, there! I am doing a report on this whole disaster. I'm from Madison Middle School! Can anybody give me some ideas about the damage the earthquake costed, please? That will be very helpful! Thanks! Bye!

Truman's birthday is not considered a holiday in Los Angeles or in California. Many Angelenos who go to work in the morning and have a long commute may be up at 4:30am. And as pointed out, many people were taking the day off anyway because government offices and schools were going to be closed. If the quake had happened just a few hours later, this would be even more important as the freeways would have been crowded. There was even a freeway that had a whole segment fall several feet down (Interstate 5 near Newhall) which only resulted in one death on 1/17/94 because it was so early and on a holiday. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.133.204.205 (talk) 21:26, August 25, 2007 (UTC)

[edit] what caused it?

It was caused by the release of stress along faults under the Los Angeles basin. The movement is caused by the ongoing movement between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate.

[edit] Epicenter in Reseda

I've read a few things (even here on Wiki) saying that the epicenter was actually in Reseda and that the media only termed it "Northridge Earthquake" to garner more funds as Northridge homes a more upper class than Reseda. Should we add this bit to the page? Modenadude 14:45, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

I lived a block and a half from the epicenter in the apartment on Reseda & Keswick, (one report said it was at Wilbur & Saticoy another said Yolanda & Saticoy). I truly don't now why the name was give "Northridge Earthquake", I thought because of the people that lost their lives there. Although I was not happy with it being named that, do understand that the San Fernando Valley has many many apartment building all through it. If you drive along Reseda Blvd from Ventura Blvd all the way to Roscoe Blvd(still city of Reseda) you will see two things businesses and apartment buildings. I thought that the Earthquake was named from the epicenter (Sylar, Loma Pieta), however this instance it was not... go figure.

No disrespect to Modenadude, please forgive if done wrong.

mgamalm 12:16am, 5/13/2008 —Preceding comment was added at 07:18, 13 May 2008 (UTC)