Sunday, August 24, 2014

Strong Earthquake Strikes San Francisco Bay Region

By Douglas V. Gibbs

Thousands are without power in Napa County.  Fires resulting from the earthquake has destroyed a number of homes.  Historic buildings in Napa County have sustained significant damage.  The 6.0 Earthquake that hit Northern California is the largest in 25 years, striking during the early morning hours.  The 3:30 am earthquake was centered six miles from the city of Napa, lasted 20-30 seconds, and was in the heart of California's wine country.

So far, nearly a hundred people have been hospitalized.  The earthquake ignited a number of fires, complicated by broken water mains.  The last large earthquake the region experienced was the World Series Earthquake, the 6.9-magnitude Loma Prieta quake October 17, 1989, during a World Series game between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics, collapsing part of the Bay Bridge roadway and killing more than 60 people, most when an Oakland freeway fell.

The earthquake is being reported by witnesses to be a rolling quake, one that does not shake as much as it continuously gives a rolling sensation that gets worse until it reaches its end, becoming extremely active as it reaches its limit.  Experts have stated it was more of a sharp quake, a rapid rise, and then slam into place.

Widely felt throughout the region, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey said this earthquake was a sizeable quake for the area, and a shallow quake about 6 miles deep.

The California Highway Patrol reports cracks and damage to pavement to the westbound Interstate 80 connector at westbound State Route 37 in Vallejo and westbound State Route 37 at the Sonoma off ramp.  Roadway damage, it is being reported, appears confined to the Napa and Sonoma areas.

There appears to be no damage to major bridges in the Bay Area.

The City of Napa has experienced significant damage.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary


6.1 MAG QUAKE STRIKES BAY AREA... - CBS San Francisco

STRONGEST IN DECADES... - NBC Bay Area

MAP... - USGS

LIVE LIST... - SCEC

Widespread power outages... - CBS San Francisco

Dramatic images... - ABC News

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