What natural disaster did the Golden Gate Bridge survive in 1989?

On October 17, 1989, the San Francisco Bay area of the United States was jolted by the Loma Prieta earthquake. The quake's epicenter was near Loma Prieta Peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The magnitude 6.9 quake was the most powerful the state had experienced in several years.



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On Oct. 17, 1989, ABC7 News reporter Leslie Brinkley was crossing the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on her way to a routine assignment. Her story and her life changed in 15 seconds when the bridge collapsed as the Loma Prieta earthquake hit.

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On October 17, 1989, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay Area, killing 67 people and causing more than $5 billion in damages. On October 17, 1989, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay Area, killing 67 people and causing more than $5 billion in damages.

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During the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, a portion of the eastern section's upper deck collapsed onto the lower deck and the bridge was closed for a month.

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Despite the terrifying image of a 250-foot wave about to wash over the Golden Gate Bridge, tsunamis do not actually pose a considerable threat to the Bay Area. Bay Curious is a podcast that answers your questions about the Bay Area.

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In Ward's simulations, the wave reaches a maximum height of about 30 feet. “That's barely to the top the pylon,” says Ward, who is confident that the bridge would have no trouble withstanding the wave energy. “It probably wouldn't even touch the steel.”

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