The Northridge Earthquake

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the Northridge earthquake that hit the San Fernando Valley area of Greater Los Angeles on January 17, 1994. The paper specifically reviews the economic impact of the earthquake, as well as the psychological aftermath for the residents of the area. It also discusses the news coverage of the earthquake and general related information.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Economic Impact
Northridge Earthquake General Information
Northridge Earthquake News Coverage
Suicides Due to the Northridge Earthquake
Psychological Distress Following the Northridge Quake

From the Paper:

"While the earthquake itself didn't result in an increased rate of suicides, the same publication (Prehospital and Disaster Medicine) with mostly the same authors (Bourque, Shoaf, et al, 2002) shows that there was additional psychological distress on the day of the quake. On an average day in LA County there are an estimated 60-80 deaths associated with "cardiovascular events" (IHD, "ischemic heart disease" - heart attacks - and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease ACD). Meanwhile, in the 16 days preceding the January 17 Northridge quake deaths associated with IHD and ACD averaged 73 per day; on the day of the quake, 125 IHD / ACD death occurred. But for the rest of the month of January following the 17th, the average dropped to 57 deaths per day attributed to IHD and ACD."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bernstein, Sharon. "City is Still Vulnerable to Large Quake, Experts Say." Los Angeles Times 7 Jan. 2006: Domestic News Section (NewsBank Inc.).
• Boarnet, Marlon G. "Business Losses, Transportation Damage and the Northridge Earthquake." The University of California Transportation Center: The University of California at Berkeley. Working Paper August 1996. UCTC no. 341.
• Bourque, Linda B.; Siegel, Judith M.; & Shoaf, Kimberley I. "Psychological Distress Following Urban Earthquakes in California." Prehospital and Disaster Medicine 17.2 (2002): 81-90.
• Fritsch, Jane. "Quake Revealed Flaws in 'Safe' Structures Design..." The New York Times 20 Jan. 1994: Page A-18 (ProQuest Historical Newspapers Database).
• Kolbert, Elizabeth. "Airborne in Bed: A Building Collapses, Leaving 15 Dead." The New York Times. 18 Jan. 1994, Page A-1 (ProQuest).

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