The 1971 San Fernando (a.k.a. Forty-six years ago today, the possibility of such a sudden dam burst was the hair-raising fear, in the chaos and devastation following the magnitude 6.7 earthquake that struck the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles. Sometimes they are very strong and other times you would hardly notice them. The 1971 San Fernando earthquake (magnitude 6.7) collapsed four buildings at the San Fernando Veterans Administration Hospital complex (above), killing 47 people Damage from the San Fernando Earthquake, in the San Fernando Valley, Southern California. The 1971 San Fernando earthquake, also known as the “Sylmar Quake,” took place on the morning of February 9, 1971 around 6:01am. The San Fernando earthquake (9 February, 1971, M L =6.4, M W =6.6) was initiated at depth (∼13 km below the surface), north of San Fernando and Sylmar, along a plane dipping 40° to northeast and striking 108°, and with fault area of 130 km 2 The fault broke the ground surface north of the San Fernando airport, … It occurred at 6:00:41. The Symlar San Fernando Valley Earthquake of 1971. 1971 San Fernando (California) Earthquake Archive.  |  The San Fernando Earthquake, 1971. 0:51. Mapping of the surface breaks that resulted from the San Fernando earthquake of 9 February 1971 reveals that the pattern of faulting was highly complex; it consisted of a number of … found: Wikipedia, Feb. 24, 2006 (The Sylmar earthquake struck at 6:00:55 a.m. PST on the morning of February 9, 1971. List of earthquakes in California - Wikipedia The section of freeway in Sylmar, California that was intended to open first (between Interstate 5 and Maclay Avenue) was damaged by the 1971 … San Fernando Valley Natural Disasters Southern California Old Houses Childhood Memories Melbourne Around … The largest events in the San Fernando earthquake series, initiated by the main shock at 14h 00m 41.8s UT on February 9, 1971, were chosen for analysis from the first three months of activity, 87 events in all. Within the southern California region alone, the historic record suggests that an earthquake of about this magnitude occurs on the average of once every four years ( Fig. (The earthquake of 9-Feb-1971). PACOIMA (CBSLA) — A 4.2-magnitude earthquake struck the Pacoima area of the San Fernando Valley early Thursday morning and was felt across the Southland. There was fear of an imminent collapse of the Van Norman Dam, which held more than 3.5 billion gallons of water just northwest of San Fernando. The largest events in the San Fernando earthquake series, initiated by the main shock at 14h 00m 41.8s UT on February 9, 1971, were chosen for analysis from the first three months of activity, 87 events in all. San Fernando has had: (M1.5 or greater) 0 earthquakes in the past 24 hours 1 earthquake in the past 7 days; 21 earthquakes in the past 30 days; 320 earthquakes in the past 365 days Blind Thrust Sylmar) earthquake (Mw = 6.6) occurred in the early morning hours of February 9. The earthquake that rocked the northern San Fernando Valley, near Sylmar measured magnitude 6.6 on the Richter magnitude scale. : San Fernando Juvenile Hall, after earthquake, 1971 : Foothill Freeway after earthquake, 1971 : Olive View Medical Center after the 1971 Sylmar quake, before demolition Significant Earthquakes and Faults Chronological Earthquake Index San Fernando Earthquake. Some decades later, the San Fernando earthquake affected the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles with heavy damage to several hospitals. Please leave this template in place to link the article … … The 1971 San Fernando earthquake (also known as Sylmar earthquake) struck the San Fernando Valley near Sylmar at 6:00:55 a.m. PST on February 9, 1971, with a magnitude of 6.6. Final report}, author = {Schiff, A J and Yao, J T.P. The historical San Francisco earthquake of 1906 measured the same (XI Extreme) in four locations just to the north of San … All rights reserved. High Acceleration 21st century Contemporary era. Figure 1: After the partial collapse of the Van Norman Dam in the San Fernando earthquake, the water came dangerously close to overtopping the dam. ‘The Incredibles' Lead a New Safety Campaign in OC and LA, Free Or Cheap Things Angelenos Can Do From Home, Disney Artifacts Go to Auction in Honor of Walt's Birthday, Wind and Red Flag Weather Drive Fires in Southern California Ahead of Holidays, Copyright © 2020 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. But when seismologists checked the epicentral area they realized that for about 6 miles a fault along the foothills of the San Gabriels had broken through the surface during the quake. Instead of … English: The 1971 San Fernando earthquake in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California. Photo: E. Leyendecker, USGS. The 6.6 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter located along a 12 mile fault zone below the San Gabriel Mountains lasted approximately 12 seconds and affected the entire San Fernando Valley. the 1971 san fernando earthquake An hour before sunrise, at 6:01 AM, PST, on February 9, 1971, the San Fernando region was struck by one of the most devastating earthquakes in California history. This is the San Fernando Valley. The two blue lines mark the faults which ruptured in the San Fernando earthquake 46 years ago today. How destructive was this quake on February 9, 1971? 2:38. May 1, 2020 - Explore David's board "sylmar earthquake 1971" on Pinterest. ... northeast to Hollywood and Burbank, then throughout the San Fernando valley and the Saugus-Newhall area. Known as the San Fernando earthquake or the Sylmar earthquake, it caused 58 deaths and more than $500 million in damage. (hra135), Cooperative Institute for Deep Earth Research (CIDER), Northern California Earthquake Data Center (NCEDC), :  Destruction in the Eastern Aegean Sea, :  An Explosion in Beirut heard all over the Middle East, :  Quake in Turkey highlights the hazard in the East Bay. 28:14. The February 9, 1971 earthquake in San Fernando Valley, California, caused slides in the embankments of two old adjacent hydraulic fill dams. Palmer DF, Henyey TL. In comparison, both the Loma Prieta (1989) and Northridge (1994) quakes measured “IX Violent” on the Mercalli Scale, two steps below this quake (the Sylmar Earthquake, 1971). Material from 1971 San Fernando earthquake was split to Sierra Madre Fault Zone on 23:28, 19 March 2017 from this version.The former page's history now serves to provide attribution for that content in the latter page, and it must not be deleted so long as the latter page exists. There are various names for this earthquake. The San Fernando earthquake has been extensively studied by many seismologists, geologists, and earthquake … Seismologists call it the San Fernando earthquake.  |  The 1971 San Fernando earthquake (also known as Sylmar earthquake) struck the San Fernando Valley near Sylmar at 6:00:55 a.m. PST on February 9, 1971, with a magnitude of 6.6. As the dam might collapse further and then be breached by the enormous pressure of the water behind it, authorities decided to evacuate an area of 10 square miles along the San Diego Freeway. • The epicenter of the magnitude 6.6 disastrous earthquake was in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, at the northeastern edge of the Valley. 1. At the 140-ft high Lower dam, the entire upstream face slid into the reservoir leaving only 5 ft of freeboard. Residents along the 405 Freeway were evacuated for days until the dam was shored up and determined to be safe. Significant Earthquakes and Faults Chronological Earthquake Index San Fernando Earthquake. It was the first strong quake to hit the area since the 1893 Pico Canyon quake, with an epicenter several miles west of Sylmar.  |  The worst damage was done here being newly opened (one There are various names for this earthquake. In the end, the dam held and the evacuees were allowed to return to their homes. Yerkes -- Main shock and larger aftershocks of the San Fernando earthquake, February 9 through March 1, 1971 / C.R. Dam failure The 1971 San Fernando Earthquake, by Bob Burnside "County Recurrent" is pleased to present another story from Chief Bob Burnside, Ret., this time with respect to the Sylmar Earthquake that struck early in the morning on Feb. 9, 1971, and resulted in one of the earliest multi-lifeguard agency swift water response that we know of in … There are various names for this earthquake. The aftermath led to major changes for building construction and the Alquist-Priolo Act. Known as the San Fernando earthquake or the Sylmar earthquake, it caused 58 deaths and more than $500 million in damage. Seismologists call it the San Fernando earthquake. The Slides in the San Fernando Dams During the Earthquake of February 9, 1971. The epicenter of the quake was located in the San Gabriel Mountains, with numerous nearby Los Angeles communities affected. 1971 May 14;172(3984):712-5. Both events had similar size, occurred on blind thrust faults beneath the densely populated San Fernando Valley of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, and hence offer a rare opportunity to compare the effects of the two earthquakes. By the late 1990s, the San Fernando Valley had become more urban and more ethnically diverse with rising poverty and crime. Below, a look back at the Sylmar Earthquake. Sylmar Earthquake 1971 Hospital Damage. The unanticipated thrust earthquake had a moment magnitude of 6.5 or 6.7 (as determined by several independent institutions) and … More chunks of earth collapsed with each new aftershock, reducing the height of the crown and bringing the water table dangerously close to the top of the dam (see Figure 1). Categories:   }, abstractNote = {The impact of the San Fernando Valley earthquake on electric power systems is discussed. found: Wikipedia, Feb. 24, 2006 (The Sylmar earthquake struck at 6:00:55 a.m. PST on the morning of February 9, 1971. Make social videos in an instant: use custom templates to tell the right story for your business.  |  The documentary moves along quickly and uses actual newsreel footage as well as well-staged re-enactments, blended together in a leanly edited narrative. But it was generally accepted that none of these demarcation lines between two separate geologic units were active, meaning that they had not produced any earthquakes recently. the 1971 san fernando earthquake An hour before sunrise, at 6:01 AM, PST, on February 9, 1971, the San Fernando region was struck by one of the most devastating earthquakes in California history. @article{osti_7345945, title = {Response of power systems to the San Fernando Valley earthquake of 9 February 1971. D News. The epicenter was located approximately 10 km northeast of … Following these to earthquakes, geologists are now sure that many more of these hidden faults crisscross deep beneath the San Fernando Valley. Source: USGS, How right they were was demonstrated 23 years later, when almost the same areas of the San Fernando Valley were again struck by a damaging earthquake. This is the San Fernando Valley. Both the Veteran's Administration Hospital and Olive View Medical Center in Sylmar were severely damaged, accounting for many of the deaths. But even now, after further detailed studies, they are not sure whether they have identified all blind faults in the area or if the valley's inhabitants are in for more surprises.  |  Mapping of the surface breaks that resulted from the San Fernando earthquake of 9 February 1971 reveals that the pattern of faulting was highly complex; it consisted of a number of segments that produced ground displacements and acceleration throughout the entire northern end of the San Fernando Valley. Earthquakes are best described as a shaking or vibration of the ground caused by breaking of rock. Once the shaking was over and rescuers started to assess the damage, the imminent fear of a new catastrophe arose: The Van Norman Dam just northwest of the town of San Fernando, where 3.6 billion gallons of drinking water were stored, was severely damaged. This shaking occurs when stress that builds up in the crust is … Create . It bans construction on active faults in California. It is evident, however, that more faults in the San Fernando Valley area may be active today than are now recognized." Windows shattered. Figure 2: Earthquakes on two blind thrust faults caused severe damage in the San Fernando Valley. University Library Contributing Institution California State University, Northridge Collection San Fernando Valley History Rights Information 24, No. Scary. Southern California This is the Olive View Medical Center. REPORTS San Fernando Earthquake of 9 February 1971: Pattern of Faulting Abstract. This event included 4 aftershock quakes with magnitudes around 5. A magnitude 4.2 earthquake shook Southern California's San Fernando Valley just before 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, the United States Geological Survey said. This is the Olive View Medical Center. In some areas it was offset more than 5 feet. Earthquake - Magnitude 2.5 quake shakes in the San Fernando Valley. The 1971 San Fernando earthquake struck at 6:00:55 a.m. PST on the morning of February 9, 1971. San Fernando Valley earthquake of Feb. 1971, Sylmar, California Public Domain Part of the dam crumbled in the quake, and more damage was reported with each aftershock. The earthquake was generated by thrust faulting on the Sierra Madre fault. Much like the Northridge Earthquake 23 years later, the quake also tore apart freeway overpasses. San fernando earthquake of 9 february 1971: pattern of faulting. Later, scientists at UCLA estimated that flooding following the collapse of the dam could have killed between 70,000 and 120,000 people. San Fernando Valley Earthquake 1971 Sylmar California. Geologists had known for a long time that the San Gabriel Mountains above the San Fernando Valley were riddled with faults. Later known as the San Fernando Earthquake, the quake was responsible for $500 million dollars worth of damage and causes 65 deaths (most of the deaths occurred when the Veteran's … Jun 21, 2017 - San Fernando Valley earthquake (02-09-1971). The red line is the fault on which the Northridge quake occurred in 1994. At the time, the 1971 San Fernando earthquake was the most destructive event to affect greater Los Angeles since the magnitude-6.3 Long Beach earthquake of 1933. "Earthquake" captures all the drama, suspense, pathos, and even humor, of the San Fernando Valley Quake of 1971. Download a PDF of "San Fernando Earthquake of February 9, 1971" by the National Research Council for free. However, when you live in earthquake country, you might want to give the question a second thought. Antelope Valley Freeway Collapse (1971/1994): This occurred at a highway interchange at Newhall Pass, north of Sylmar; Southern California The failure of the Interstate 5/14 interchange in 1971 … Jul 9, 2013 - 1971 Sylmar Earthquake San Fernando Valley Lived through this quake on Feb. 9! The San Fernando earthquake of February 9, 1971, was a geologic phenomenon not unlike many similar earthquakes that occur every year around the world. The worst damage was done here being newly opened (one When seismologists checked their records they were utterly surprised. Today in Earthquake History, February 9, 2017  On Feb. 9, 1971, the deadly San Fernando Earthquake rattled Southern California, leaving more than 60 people dead and causing more than $500 million in property damage. It is evident, however, that more faults in the San Fernando Valley area may be active today than are now recognized. Although the Richter magnitude of the tremblor was 6.6, ranking it as moderate to large, but not great, it shook a wide, … Jul 23, 2015 - SYLMAR - It seemed from summer 1965 until 1971 it was a chaotic time in Southern California. Most dams are constructed well and they are built for eternity. Such faults, which are unknown but can produce devastating quakes, are called blind thrust faults. "Earthquake" captures all the drama, suspense, pathos, and even humor, of the San Fernando Valley Quake of 1971. Sometimes they are very strong and other times you would hardly notice them. The 1971 San Fernando earthquake (also known as the Sylmar earthquake) occurred in the early morning of February 9 in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in southern California. Earthquake Faults and Faulting Also known as the Sylmar Earthquake, the magnitude-6.5 quake was reported on a Tuesday at about 6:01 a.m. Its origin was in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles, but shaking was felt across a widespread part of the San Fernando Valley. This event included 4 aftershock quakes with magnitudes around 5. Objects under such forces would have been weightless for a few seconds, like astronauts in space. Highways cracked and buckled. There were the Watts Riots, the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy at The Ambassador Hotel, Charles Manson, the Chicano Moratorium in East Los Angeles, the ongoing destruction of the original Bunker Hill, the Sunset … The 1971 San Fernando earthquake (also known as the Sylmar earthquake) occurred in the early morning of February 9 in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in southern California. In comparison, both the Loma Prieta (1989) and Northridge (1994) quakes measured “IX Violent” on the Mercalli Scale, two steps below this quake (the Sylmar Earthquake, 1971). Retro and Weird. The quake took place at 6 am under the town of Sylmar. The San Fernando earthquake, 1971: Assessed at Richter magnitude 6.6, it occurred in the mountains behind Sylmar. Special San Fernando Earthquake Edition SEISMOLOGIC AND CRUSTAL MOVEMENT INVESTIGATIONS OF THE SAN FERNANDO EARTHQUAKE By Roger Greensfelder SEISMOLOGY Fault mechanism and aftershocks Browse more videos. C. R. Allen and his co‐workers assigned the main shock parameters: 34°24.7′N, 118°24.0′W, focal depth h = 8.4 km, and local magnitude M L = 6.4. But the threat of disaster didn't end when the shaking stopped. -- Main shock and larger aftershocks of the quake, and they thought it might burst down the! Nearby Los Angeles County, California 58 deaths and more than 5 feet larger aftershocks of each.! 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