From the article: Where Were You for Loma Prieta?
Memories fade, people move away or die, and gradually the experience of a major earthquake evaporates. Keep awareness alive for the San Francisco Bay area and share your story from the Loma Prieta earthquake. Share Your Experience
Polk St
- I was waiting for Chinese takeout when the quake hit. I remained on my feet, holding a table, but the rolling must have been violent because the next morning all the muscles in my legs were strained. It was strange -- during the actual quake, it was as if I heard no sounds. But when the pitching stopped, I realized I had heard the big vats in the kitchen crashing off the stoves. I ran back, terrified that the cooks had been scalded. They'd managed to get clear, thank God. We went outside and all along Polk St car alarms were going off. I was elated because we were alive, but one of the young restaurant workers was very shaken. I walked home to Nob Hill -- every one was in the streets and power was out. I turned my walkman radio on and the DJ was saying, "Well, that was a nice dose of Bay Area stress." Not long after we started to smell the Marina burning.
- —jwan0jwan
Loma Prieta experience
- I blogged about my fairly modest experience at: http://geotripper.blogspot.com/2009/10/has-it-been-that-long-already-loma.html
- —Guest Garry Hayes
So far away....
- My husband and I (both Bay Area natives) were driving near Steamboat Springs, CO and trying to listen to the World Series - the only station we could get was from New Mexico. It kept fading in and out and all we caught was that something was terribly wrong. I said "earthquake" and my husband poo-pooed me. But, sure enough! We drove to the closest hotel and our only requirements were a phone and a TV (roaches OK). We were so frustrated because we couldn't call in and people covering for the networks knew nothing about Bay Area geography. They had the freeway collapse on the wrong side of the Bay! We spent a sleepless night and finally got through to my husband's family the next morning. We zoomed home and coming across the Sunol Grade we had no idea what we'd see. Thankfully, we only had a few things broken in our house and our families were all OK !! I will never forget feeling so helpless !!
- —Guest BonnieB
