Big earthquake on Hayward Fault could cause damage similar to 1989 Loma Prieta quake, experts warn

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Thursday’s 3.1 magnitude earthquake was the latest of five notable aftershocks to hit Berkeley since a 4.3 magnitude earthquake rattled the college town on Sept. 22.

A day later, the Bay Area remembers the deadly Loma Prieta earthquake, a 6.9 magnitude quake on the San Andrews Fault, which rocked the Bay Area on Oct. 17, 1989. The earthquake killed 63 people and caused more than $10 billion in damage to the region.

The 1989 Lome Prieta quake lasted roughly 20 seconds and was followed by a 5.2 magnitude aftershock minutes after the initial rumble. Hundreds of aftershocks shook the Bay Area for weeks after the disaster.

The recent Berkeley quakes all occurred on the Hayward Fault Zone, which runs parallel to the San Andreas along the East Bay Hills from the northern