Earthquakes bridge collapse
Earthquakes cause damage to all structures,
including bridges. Major earthquakes can bring about the collapse of dozens of
buildings, but collapsed bridgesare often the most visible signs of the
havoc an earthquake can wreak. Amidst the rubble and devastation, the sight of
a damaged bridge from TV news helicopters stands out and becomes the iconic
image of that particular disaster.
Such
is the case with the Loma Prieta earthquake that struck the California coastal
cities of Oakland and San Francisco in October 1989. The earthquake -- named
for a nearby mountain -- caused 63 deaths, and the majority of them occurred in
two bridge collapses: One person died as a section of the San Francisco-Oakland
Bay Bridge gave way, and 42 others perished when a large portion of the Cypress
Street Viaduct carrying Interstate 880 collapsed [source: USGS].
Fortunately,
earthquake-triggered bridge collapses are relatively rare. In addition,
builders can construct bridges in earthquake-prone areas to withstand tremors
-- or at least minimize the loss of life when one occurs
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