The San Fernando Earthquake of February 9, l971: Lessons from a Moderate Earthquake on the Fringe of a Densely Populated Region

摘要

The Los Angeles region, which was hard hit on its northern fringes by the moderate earthquake of February 9, 1971 (Richter magnitude 6.6), is a region in which much attention has been given to the earthquake hazard. Even then, this natural violence of the earth directly affected more than 400,000 people in the city of San Fernando and surroundings by damaging or destroying homes and public facilities and utilities--with a cost of 64 lives and perhaps as much as a billion dollars. Collapse of a portion of the Van Norman Dam led to the evacuation of 80,000 inhabitants living below the dam for several days while water was drained from the reservoir to avert imminent rupture of the dam and a catastrophe unprecedented in this country. The report briefly discusses lessons learned.