SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – Thursday’s 3.1-magnitude earthquake was the latest of five notable aftershocks to hit Berkeley since a 4.3-magnitude quake struck the university city on Sept. 22.
A day later, the Bay Area remembers the deadly Loma Prieta earthquake, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake on the St. Andrews Fault, which rocked the Bay Area on October 17, 1989. The quake killed 63 people and caused more than $10 billion in damage to the region.
The 1989 Lomé Prieta earthquake lasted about 20 seconds and was followed by a magnitude 5.2 aftershock minutes after the initial rumble. Hundreds of aftershocks shook the Gulf region for weeks after the disaster.
All of the recent Berkeley earthquakes occurred in the Hayward Fault Zone, which runs parallel to the San Andreas along the East Bay Hills from the northern tip of San Jose to San Pablo Bay. Amy Williamson, a research scientist at Berkeley Seismological Laboratory, told KRON4 News that this fault is capable of producing earthquakes as devastating as the 89 quake.
Seismologists predict that the Hayward Fault has a 33% chance of generating an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 or greater before 2043.
“[The Hayward Fault’s] The last major earthquake occurred on October 21, 1868, devastating downtown Hayward, killing 5 people and injuring 30. Blog from the UC Berkeley Seismic Laboratory. “With an estimated magnitude of 6.8, it caused damage throughout the region. San Francisco alone suffered $350,000 in property losses. It was considered the ‘big earthquake’ until 1906.”
The next major earthquake could hit the Gulf region at any time, and seismologists cannot predict exactly when disasters will strike.
“While scientists can generate long-range predictions, such as those mentioned above, we unfortunately cannot predict when the next major earthquake will occur in Hayward,” Williamson said. “That’s why we always want to focus on earthquake preparedness: knowing what to do during an earthquake — landing, covering and holding on — and having an emergency kit at home.”
US Geological Survey and California Office of Emergency Services Provide extensive resources for earthquake preparedness. The San Andreas and Hayward faults pose the greatest threats to the Bay Area and can cause significant ground shaking, liquefaction, landslides and rupture of surface faults, according to the Office of Emergency Services.
“The potential for an earthquake is highest for the Hayward Fault,” the OES Bay Area Seismic Plan says. “An earthquake along this fault could cause significant loss of life, injury, and extensive damage to homes, businesses, and infrastructure, such as transportation and utility systems. Several hundred thousand people would likely become homeless after such an earthquake. While the northern San Andreas fault has a lower probability of generating an earthquake, this fault was responsible for the M7.8 San Francisco earthquake in 1906.”
US Geological Survey A guide to preparing for earthquakes in the Gulf region She recommends several earthquake safety tips, including getting a disaster supply kit and conducting earthquake drills at home.
“This booklet provides information about the threat posed by earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay Area and explains how you can prepare for, survive, and recover from these inevitable events,” the USGS guide says. “If you live or work in the area, you need to know why to worry about earthquakes, what to expect during and after an earthquake, and what to do in advance to be safe and minimize damage.”