6.7
1994 Northridge Earthquake
1994-01-17 — Northridge, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles
The Northridge earthquake struck the San Fernando Valley at 4:31 AM, producing some of the strongest ground motions ever recorded in an urban area of North America. Several freeway overpasses and parking structures collapsed, and the Northridge Meadows apartment complex pancake failure killed 16 residents in their sleep. At the time the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history, the earthquake spurred massive seismic retrofit programs for bridges, hospitals, and unreinforced masonry buildings across California.
Magnitude
6.7
Depth
18.4 km
Shallow
Fatalities
57
Damage
$20 billion
| Date | 1994-01-17 |
| Epicenter | 34.213°N, 118.537°W |
| Intensity | IX (Violent) |
| Tsunami | No |
| Injuries | 8,700 |