US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Loma Prieta earthquake, ground shaking simulation. This simulation models the maximum peak intensity of ground shaking in the San Francisco Bay and surrounding area, with the colours darkening to red as the shaking intensifies along the San Andreas Fault. The shaking spreads as seismic waves radiate away from the rupturing fault line. The colour scale runs from I to X (scale at top right). This simulation is 75 seconds long. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake occurred on 17 October 1989 at 15:04 local time (00:04 UTC on 18 October). It was centred near Santa Cruz (lower right) and had a moment magnitude of 6.9. It was the worst earthquake in the San Francisco Bay area since 1906, and generated a tsunami wave measuring around 1.2 metres in height. The earthquake killed 63 people throughout northern California and many properties were destroyed, which left more than 12,000 people homeless.
Model release not required. Property release not required.