NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #27/NN_1992_27.iso/spool/ca/earthqua/1340

Internet Message Format | 1992-11-17 | 3.8 KB

Path: sparky!uunet!stanford.edu!ames!sun-barr!olivea!gossip.pyramid.com!pyramid!unify!.Unify.Com!wm
From: [e-mail] (William Morehouse)
Newsgroups: ca.earthquakes
Subject: 89 Loma Prieta quake
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 16 Nov 92 17:26:50 GMT
Sender: [e-mail] (news admin)
Reply-To: [e-mail] (William Morehouse)
Organization: Unify Corporation, Sacramento, CA, USA
Lines: 62

>From: [e-mail] (Stephen Lau)
>Subject: Re: San Francisco Earthquake 89
>Date: 14 Nov 92 02:08:33 GMT
>Organization: SRI International, Menlo Park, CA
>
>
>marina district. The clincher however was the collapsed Cypress structure. The
>announcer had no idea where or what it was on the screen, he just thought it
>was a collapsed single layer freeway, not double. My father's store is about
       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Thank god somebody else remembers this!  I thought I dreamed this!  I was
in Candlestick park when the quake hit (see below) but I distinctly
remember the first shots we saw of the Cypress.  Whoever was doing
the voice over on the overhead shot did not realize that what he was
looking at used to be a double-deck freeway.  Meanwhile, the large group
of us gathered around the portable TV were getting *quite* upset. After all,
several of us had just been on that stretch of roadway less than an hour
ago, and we realized that stretch of freeway at 5pm is usually packed.

As for what I felt, I think one word can sum it up - terror.  I was
sitting in the bleachers (lower deck) waiting for the pre-game activities
to get rolling.  The groundscrew were tying down several large bags of
balloons that were to be released soon.  I felt a small rumble that
seemed to come from fans stomping their feet in unison.  I've been to
the Stick over a hundred times and I had never felt this sensation.  I
even turned to my mom who was sitting next to me and said, "Gee, I
didn't know this place moved."  Then WHAM, the whole park lurches to
one side and everybody rises as one and grabs for something to keep
them upright.  The park rocked back and forth several times.  There
was no noise from the fans, but the noise of the park groaning was
incredibly loud.  I looked up towards the upper deck, hoping it
was going to stay put.  The signs that line the facade of the upper deck
were rattling quite loudly.

Then it stopped.  Everyone quickly looked around the park, then
looked at each other, and then a huge cheer went up.  Most people
were still visibly shaken (ooooo, bad pun), but it was obvious
to us that while that was a damn good shake, the park was still
standing and we had just become part of history.  Then the confusion
started.  The public address announcer came over the system and
said that all fans in the upper deck were to proceed to the
nearest exit and that fans in the lower deck were to proceed to the
field.  Another cheer went up from us fans in the lower deck.  So
we move down the aisles to get to the field, but the SF Police aren't
letting anyone on the field.  What gives?  Then the power goes out
and we have no more PA announcer.  (lights were not a problem, there
was still plenty of sunlight left)  So now nobody knows what to do.
Most people were chattering nervously about how strong it was.

Then the first radio report came in - 6.9 in Salinas.  I lived in
Santa Cruz at the time so I became very concerned at this point.
Then the first TV shot of the bridge came through and someone with
a portable TV shouted "Oh my god!  Look at the bridge!!"  Now we
realized that this had been one monster of a quake and that the
Giants weren't going to get a chance to get back at the A's on
this day.

I'll never forget the guy carrying out a chunk of concrete that must
have weighed 40-50 pounds saying "I've got a piece of the Stick!"

-Bill Morehouse
[e-mail]