Emergency Medical Care Aspects Of The Loma Prieta Earthquake

The Loma Prieta earthquake of October 17, 1989 created significant property damage and social disruption in the Sand Francisco Bay Area. Initial government estimates formulated a few weeks after the event indicated that over 22,000 residential structures, 1,567 businesses, and 137 public buildings in the area of impact were destroyed or sustained significant damage (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1990). Approximately 10,000 persons lost their homes as a result of the earthquake. Early reports estimated that direct economic loses ranged between $6 and $10 billion (Monroe, 1989; Earthquake included declines in tourism revenues, losses due to business interruption, and retail sales declines resulting from disruptions in the regional transportation system