It’s been 30 years since the Loma Prieta earthquake, and Bay Area fault lines decided to take note of the anniversary with a string of regional quakes that served as a timely reminder that the state’s geological clock is still ticking.
While most people know the harrowing tales of the city’s 1906 and 1989 shakeups, the area’s more obscure yet significant quakes often go overlooked.
Here’s a look at some big ones—both big and small over the years.
A note on measure of magnitude: Since many of these quakes predate seismograph technology and since there is almost always some disagreement about the true magnitude of any quake no matter how it’s measured, the figures listed below are not (pardon the phrase) set in stone, but in most cases they represent the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) best opinion on the topic.
Read More