Effects of '94 Northridge quake in Santa Monica

[cantspell]

I'm looking for anyone who can give me a general overview of what the aftermath of the 1994 Northridge earthquake would've been like in Santa Monica. I know that the amount of damage can vary widely, but I'm trying to get a general sense of what my character would've seen as far as her house, her neighborhood, how long they would've been without

Comments

[holidaylights]

Santa Monica, about 15 miles (24 km) from the epicenter and across the Santa Monica Mountains, was also heavily damaged. Most of the damage occurred in an east-west trending belt within the northern portion of the city, and extended westward into Pacific Palisades and eastward into west Los Angeles and Hollywood. Two hundred million dollars in damage occurred in Santa Monica. One hundred thirtyfour buildings were unsafe for occupancy and 396 others were damaged enough to limit access.
http://www.johnmartin.com/earthquakes/eqshow/no1_0100.htm

I'd try looking through news archives for specifics about power outages, etc.

I was actually a kid in Los Angeles at the time, but not Santa Monica, so I can't really help you with the specifics.

[aliskye]

I was in Culver City (still am) during the Northridge quake which is about 6-7 miles from Santa Monica. The aftermath kind of depends on what neighborhood one lives in (what type of house). Frame and stucco houses which a lot of residental neighborhoods in Santa Monica are, hold up pretty well in an earthquake. Structure damage is generally broken windows and toppled brick chimneys. Inside a house damage depends on how well things are secured but any tall furniture can fall over if not bolted to the wall. Dishes and stuff fly out of cupboards. Computers and tv's get shaken off tables and shelves

[tears_of_nienna]

My dad was in the area at the time, attending a telephone company meeting. I know there were communication issues for a while--phone lines that weren't down were tied up for hours, and back in Ohio we had no idea what was going on.

[argentla]

I was at USC, not Santa Monica, but if there were power outages in Santa Monica, I think they were sporadic and relatively brief. (The USC area didn't have any power outages that I recall, but the west L.A./Santa Monica power grid tends to have brief outages every time it rains, much less a strong earthquake.) Damage was highly variable -- some houses suffered serious structural damage, or cracked paint and walls from buckling, some suffered none. Over at USC, our next-door neighbors had just had a new chimney put on, and it collapsed into our driveway because the concrete hadn't set yet. I remember standing outside with my roommates, kicking bricks out of the driveway at four o'clock in the morning.

[orange_fell]

I was 9 at the time and living in a one-story house in Canoga Park, more or less 2 miles from the epicenter.

If your kid is seven in 1994, she will have already been brainwashed with a few rules about earthquake safety from her parents and school. She might remember a little bit about the big Landers Quake that woke her up when she was five in 1992; her parents would definitely remember that. This big educational-aid thing called the Quakey-Shakey van used to visit elementary schools. It was like a bus-sized vehicle that could hold a whole class. It showed videos about quake safety and would shake to simulate an earthquake. In school you were supposed to get under your desk and cover your head (there were "earthquake drills"). At home the big rule was RUN TO THE DOORWAY. Doorways were supposed to be the strongest structural point in your house, and plus if you're standing there and holding on, nothing can fall on you. (Because it isn't always true that doorways are strong, this isn't encouraged as a safety tip anymore, but

[linear_flower]

I remember earthquake drills! (I lived in Montclair until 1993) I also remember being sent to school with earthquake survival kits in case I got stranded at school.

I vaugely remember the Northridge quake cause we were already settled in Tucson by then, except for the fact that my mom was in California on business at the time.