Loma Prieta 20 years later..share your stories

[Mr. Burgundy]

The 17th marks the 20th anniversary of the Loma Prieta quake, in California.

This thread is a reflection, and dedication of sorts to all those that lost someone or something in that natural disaster 20 years ago..
Where were you?
Please share...

I was at UC Santa Cruz-and let me tell you-I have never seen gigantic Redwoods sway like dandelions in the wind...I was watching the world series-but we all know how that went...I was on the phone with friends in the bay area-and they heard it over the phone with me, before it hit up there seconds later..THAT was surreal. "whats going on?" "Oh, an earthquake..la di da..let me call you back.."
It was almost like a scene out of AIRPLANE at first, folks charging out of the dorms, screaming..."get in crash positions please.."

Those were the out of state folks.
You could tell the natives just leisurely moseyed out of the dorms, nonchalantly walking to one of our grassy meadows.
For days after, we all slept outside on the grass outside the dorms. Needless to say our class was bonded...
Downtown got ripped a new one. Some shit out of a Michael Bay film school flick and shit...sad.
I knew classmates that went downtown immediately, and were assisting with the relief efforts. Bless them.

I still think about the section of the Bay Bridge falling-even when I cross the Bay Bridge to this day. The latest construction started ominously, and it is already claiming accidents..oops.

Stay Classy!

 

[Bulldog11]

I was watching the Giants vs A's world series. Had enough time to get up, turn off the tv, and run to a door way 50 feet away, and still have enough time to take in the power of the quake. I remember thinking that it was going to last forever and how cool it was. Then a cabinet full of china fell over making a huge crash sound and almost made me pee myself. Not so cool.

Then, after it was over, everybody on my whole block came to their front yards and started to ask if everybody was ok. Everybody was in a state of shock.

Wonder how long till the next big one???

 

[Red Swan]

I think most people on this site were just being born in 89, judging from the level of discourse.

It got me to cali... My girlfriends birthday was October 17 and she was from Hillsborough /Pebble beach although she played hippy for a few years in Santa Cruz. We were in New York having dinner in Soho before it became a shopping mall. The waiter came in and said there was a big earthquake in SF> She freaked and tried to call her family.
I guess so many people called the lines fried.

We went out 3 weeks later. Santa Cruz was devastated, I drove through the marina and was shocked. Cracked and broken buildings everywhere.

I was able to get a cheap apartment since more people were moving out than in. Moved 4 times in 2 years getting bigger , cheaper nicer places and settled in before the dot com invasion.

So the earthquake helped start a new life for me. Now a 22 year old kid would have a tough time finding an affordable place to live in SF or the bay area for that matter without having 3 roomates. I got a good taste of how it was before the greed changed everything.

 

[Mrs.Babba]

We were watching the game also...TV went blank then they said there was an earthquake! We visit the bay area all the time and going across the Bay Bridge is always a very anxious ride for me! The scene of the bridge smashed together like that will be something Ill never forget! Its just a matter of time beore it happens again!

 

[SeniorBuzz]

More than the actual quake itself, weeks before, I had scheduled a hike through the Forest Of Nisene Marks, a place I hadn't been yet, the very epicenter of the quake, which we did less than two weeks later. the epicenter was all taped off, but nobody was minding the store; we were somewhat foolish, as some of the ridges were split wide open with downed trees overhanging the steep, now bare dirt, slopes, we were traversing.

But is was well worth the excursion to see it.

during the quake itself I was in a test lab at Lockheed Sunnyvale, CA (Bay Area), raised floor, computers, lots of electronics, and a missile. it was apparent it was a major quake; had to do a round about to get home; roads closed ; it was a very sad, somber, time for all of the Bay Area, so many sad stories; only lost a few things myself;

 

[krunchbubble]

i just got back from a cubscout camping trip, playing baseball stars 2 on the nintendo when the hills started a swanging.....

 

[Dopeboy668]

There was just an earthquake in cali today wasnt there.

 

[Mr. Burgundy]

6.5 quake rocks Humboldt County

6.5 quake rocks Humboldt County

Yeah, we had one the other day also...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/09/BALS1BG3RV.DTL&tsp=1

Stay Classy!