Today in History: Earthquake causes $100 million of damage
It is estimated that the Whittier earthquake caused $100 million in damages.
An earthquake in Whittier, California, killed six and injured 100 more on this day in 1987.
The earthquake was the largest to hit Southern California in 16 years at the time, but not nearly as damaging as the Northridge quake that would devastate parts of Los Angeles seven years later.
Whittier is a small town south of Los Angeles, best known as former US President Richard Nixon’s hometown. At 7.42am on 1 October, a 6.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Whittier and the surrounding area for a full 30 seconds, violently shaking people out of their beds and causing unsecured items to crash to the floor in homes throughout the region. Several fires were ignited when gas lines were severed by the earth’s movement.
Falling debris killed six people and the earthquake caused the area’s major highways to be shut down. Despite the strong tremors, there were no major building collapses. A long series of aftershocks rocked Southern California for days after the earthquake.
Reluctant to return to their homes, hundreds of people camped out in public parks for several days. Meanwhile, hospitals were evacuated as a precaution. Some looting was reported during the chaos, but it was not a widespread problem.
Do you perhaps have more information pertaining to this story? Email us at northsider@caxton.co.za (remember to include your contact details) or phone us on 011 955 1130.
For free daily local news on the West Rand, also visit our sister newspaper websites
