The Absent Uncle: Have you ever been in an earthquake?

By: 
D.C. Schultz, Guest columnist

I was reminded the other day about my experiences while living in California with earthquakes. I actually lived in California from the time I went in the Navy (1971) until our move to Kansas (1997), minus time on Navy deployments.

For my first 25-plus years in the Golden State, I never experienced an earthquake. In October of 1989 that changed. We were living in the San Francisco Bay Area; I was working on both sides of the South Bay (Oakland and San Mateo). The two sides were connected by 3three bridges – I mainly used the San Mateo Bridge on a daily basis to visit my three offices. I lived on the San Mateo (Peninsula) side. 

On Oct. 17, 1989, the entire Bay Area was getting ready for the first game of the World Series that evening between the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants. It was a rare World Series that would be played between two teams located in one metropolitan area.  

I was working that afternoon on the Oakland side and had scheduled a (racquetball) meeting with a friend in San Francisco for 5:30. From the office it was a quick trip over the Oakland Bay Bridge and on to our meeting point.   

Looking ahead to the later traffic, the congestion, and that I just was tired from the early start of the day, I called my friend and told him I wanted to cancel. I was greeted with normal teasing of avoidance of a racquetball beating and so on, but I stuck with it and canceled.   

At about 4 o’clock that afternoon. I left my Oakland office and went south to the San Mateo Bridge. I arrived at my San Mateo office about 4:45 for a quick visit and as I was about to leave for home – and then – well, I experienced my first earthquake (a 6.9 on the Richter Scale). Thankfully, I was where I was.  

The earth undulated in waves I could see, feel, and will never forget. I sat down on the asphalt in the parking lot I was in, as the movement was making me a bit seasick. It lasted about a minute.

The damages caused by the earthquake were extensive. The Oakland Bay Bridge collapsed on one of its two spans; freeway overpasses throughout the area were damaged. All bridges were closed for inspection. Traffic came to a halt. So many buildings were destroyed.

But I was only less than two miles from my home because of my unwillingness to brave the traffic and congestion of the World Series.  

At our home, we experienced no significant damage. Stuff tossed around, furniture moved. We certainly lost power and utility services for over a week. But we were so fortunate by comparison. Adjustments had to be made in routing, shopping, and basic living for the next year. 

Oh, and guess what? We later moved to Southern California and in January 1994 we experienced the Northridge Earthquake (6.7 on the Richter Scale). That’s a story to be told at a later time.

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