Long Beach earthquake
The Long Beach earthquake, which struck on March 10, 1933, was a significant seismic event measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale. Its epicenter was located offshore near Newport Beach, at a depth of 5.3 miles. Although not as severe as the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, it caused substantial destruction in the densely populated areas of Long Beach and surrounding regions, including parts of Los Angeles and Orange County. The quake resulted in widespread damage, including the destruction of numerous homes and schools; specifically, 2,100 homes were rendered uninhabitable, and 15 out of 35 schools in Long Beach were completely destroyed. Tragically, the earthquake claimed 120 lives, with many casualties occurring in Long Beach. Emergency response was bolstered by the presence of U.S. Navy vessels nearby, which allowed thousands of sailors and Marines to assist in rescue efforts shortly after the disaster. The aftermath of the earthquake prompted significant changes in building regulations in California, leading to the enactment of the Field Act and the Riley Act, aimed at improving earthquake resistance and establishing modern safety standards for construction. This event remains a pivotal moment in California's approach to seismic safety and urban planning.
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Long Beach earthquake
The Event A 6.4-magnitude earthquake occurring along the Newport-Inglewood fault zone
Date March 10, 1933
Place Long Beach, California
The Long Beach earthquake of 1933 ranks as one of the most destructive in the history of North America. In its aftermath, construction laws were changed to protect buildings in seismically active areas.
At 5:47 p.m. on Friday, March 10, 1933, an earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale occurred along the Newport-Inglewood fault zone. Its epicenter was 3.4 miles offshore of Newport Beach at an estimated depth of 5.3 miles. Though this earthquake was not as intense as the 1906 one in San Francisco, and only slightly more intense than the 1925 Santa Barbara quake, it occurred in a densely populated area, resulting in considerable damage.
After the quake, numerous fires spread in the city, partly because the central fire station was destroyed. Medical efforts were impeded because of partial destruction of the Seaside Hospital. Fortunately for residents, at the time of the earthquake, nearly one hundred U.S. Navy vessels were anchored offshore. Within two hours, more than three thousand sailors and Marines were deployed to emergency-aid stations. Destruction from the earthquake stretched northward into Los Angeles and east into Orange County.
While Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach were relatively near geographically to the quake’s epicenter, they suffered less damage than other areas because of their geology; they are both situated close to bedrock. Long Beach and nearby Compton suffered greater destruction because they are situated on unstable alluvium. As a result of the earthquake, twenty-one hundred homes were damaged beyond habitation, fifteen of Long Beach’s thirty-five schools were completely destroyed, and nearly 30 percent of other buildings suffered structural damage. In Los Angeles, forty-one schools were rendered unsafe for occupancy. The estimate of the damage was $40 million, which would have equaled about $670 million in 2010 dollars. The quake resulted in 120 deaths, 52 of which occurred in Long Beach. If the quake had happened during school hours, the number of casualties would have been much higher.
Impact
The most significant outcomes of the Long Beach earthquake were the changes made to California’s construction laws. As a result of the destruction to Long Beach and Los Angeles schools, the California legislature passed the Field Act, empowering the state to approve school-building plans, and the Riley Act, ensuring earthquake-resistant construction. These acts were the first step in the establishment of modern seismic safety standards in California.
Bibliography
Geschwind, Carl-Henry. California Earthquakes: Science, Risk and the Politics of Hazard Mitigation. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001.
Yeats, Robert S. Living with Earthquakes in California: A Survivors Guide. Corvallis: Oregon State University Press, 2001.