The Magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989 was one of the worst natural disasters to ever hit the state of California, affecting millions of people living in the Bay and the surrounding areas. Thousands were injured, and 63 people lost their lives. Monetary losses totaled over 12 billion 2021 USD. Some of our own BIFU staff experienced the earthquake, and I interviewed Ms. Davis, Ms. Julie, Mr. Ong, and Mr. Shane about their experiences.

October 17, 1989, at 17:04 PST. The moment the earthquake hit. Mr. Ong was standing in front of a large pot of oil in his Stanford dorm room when suddenly, the ground beneath him started to shake violently. Relatively new to California and the nature of earthquakes here, he didn’t know what to do, until his roommate told him to get under a table. Things fell off shelves, landing inches away from him.

At the same time, less than thirty miles away, Mr. Shane was traveling in a car with his friend on a residential street in eastern San Jose. When the earthquake first hit, he thought it was his friend goofing around with the steering wheel. He looked up from his book to see his friend firmly holding the steering wheel. It then dawned on him that it was in fact an earthquake. He and his friend decided it would be best to stay in the car and buckle their seat belts. They noticed the ground moving in waves—as if the houses were moving inwards and not side-to-side. “I think this is the Big One,” he thought.

Though the quake was relatively short, to all of them, it seemed much longer. “I don’t remember [how long it lasted], but it felt like an eternity,” Ms. Davis recalled.

Since there were no cell phones at the time of the earthquake, phone landlines were immediately flooded with everyone trying to call their loved ones and relatives. Because her parents were on the evening commute, Ms. Davis tried to call her friend. Mr. Shane was unable to contact his grandfather in Morgan Hill, where the damage was a bit worse. His out-of-state brother was able to reach him, but he was unable to answer the phone. Meanwhile, Ms. Julie was desperately trying to pacify the children at the Marin County daycare she worked at while trying to contact their parents.

Mr. Ong witnessed some of the earthquake’s worst damage in his area, with numerous Stanford campus buildings suffering various degrees of damage. Even electricity and water were gone for a few days. For example, the old chemistry building was severely damaged and had to be replaced. Chimneys fell off many buildings, and fallen objects scattered the floors of rooms.

Television was still available, so many immediately tuned in to see the local news coverage. Footage of the collapsed Cypress Street viaduct and the damaged Bay Bridge displayed the extent of the damage. “It was sobering,” said Ms. Julie. “[The footage I saw on television] really showed how catastrophic an earthquake can be.” It was also widely known that the third game of the 1989 Giants vs. A’s World Series was also going on at the time of the quake, and some scenes from Candlestick Park were also broadcasted. Mr. Shane described it as “chaotic,” and indeed it was.

The Next Big One

The 1989 earthquake showed us how a major earthquake here in the Bay can cause severe damage, and why we must be prepared for the next one. Just a few weeks ago, on October 25th, 2022, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake rocked the Bay Area. Some of the staff and student body at BIFU felt it (including me!). Concerns about “The Big One”—a major earthquake that is forecast to hit this region within the next few decades along the Hayward Fault—began to surface. It is estimated that there is a 3 in 4 chance of a major earthquake (greater than M6.8) in the Bay Area in the next thirty years, and the Hayward Fault is the major fault line which scientists are worrying about the most. The fault runs right through the East Bay, from Milpitas in the south to a few miles north of Richmond in the north. Imagine a major earthquake occurred today along the Hayward Fault. Would you and your family be prepared? I asked the interviewees about their emergency plans for a future quake and if they had any advice to give.

"Always have a pair of shoes nearby,” says Ms. Julie. Having a pair of shoes nearby helps enable you to quickly leave the house if you can and protects your feet from fallen debris. “It may seem small, but it’s actually a big deal.” She also advises to keep a “Go Kit”, which includes items like important documents, canned food, water, etc. The other interviewees said that they don’t have any exact plans in the event of an earthquake. “I really should put some together,” said Ms. Davis. However, they did have some advice to give. “Always trust your instinct,” says Mr. Shane. “Be as prepared as possible.”

Also, a helpful app worth mentioning is the ShakeAlert system, which offers crucial time to take action before an earthquake hits. iPhone users have to download the MyShake or QuakeAlertUSA app on the App Store, while Android users have it installed on their phones. Download one of the apps anyway to stay safe, though. For now, though, we can be thankful that another day has passed without a life-changing earthquake. However, we must also remember to keep the possibility of an earthquake in mind and to make the appropriate preparations. And lastly, if and when there’s an earthquake, always remember to DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON.