Since Loma Prieta, Bay Area Earthquake Sensor Network Has Expanded Nearly Fivefold

CBS San Francisco

October 18, 2022

Tuesday marks 33 years since the Loma Prieta earthquake. For many who were around when the 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit, they remember where they were and exactly what they were doing. Scientists can also look back and see how earthquake monitoring has changed since 1989.

U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Dr. Annemarie Baltay said the Loma Prieta earthquake showed us how places far away from the epicenter could still suffer severe damage, especially in landfill or unstable soil. The city's Marina District is one such area that received significant damage from liquefaction.

"The Marina sits on very soft, landfill," said Baltay. "If you take a bowl of jello, and you shake that, it kind of starts shaking, amplifies and it lasts a lot longer. It's very similar to what happened in the Marina."

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