The 1994 Northridge earthquake struck on January 17 and measured 6.7 on the Moment magnitude scale . It produced the largest ground motions ever recorded in an urban environment and was the first earthquake that had its hypocenter located directly under a U.S. city since the Long Beach earthquake of 1933 . It caused the greatest damage in the United States since the 1906 San Francisco earthquake . Although given the name Northridge , the epicenter was located in the community of Reseda , between Arminta and Ingomar streets , just west of Reseda Boulevard . The death toll was 57 , and more than 1,500 people were seriously injured . A few days after the earthquake , 9,000 homes and businesses were still without electricity ; 20,000 were without gas ; and more than 48,500 had little or no water . About 12,500 structures were moderately to severely damaged , which left thousands of people temporarily homeless . Of the 66,546 buildings inspected , 6 percent were severely damaged ( red tagged ) and 17 percent were moderately damaged ( yellow tagged ) . In addition , damage to several major freeways serving Los Angeles choked the traffic system in the days following the earthquake . Major freeway damage occurred as far away as from the epicenter . Collapses and other severe damage forced closure of portions of 11 major roads to downtown Los Angeles
Long Beach earthquake of 1933
1933 Long Beach earthquake
San Fernando Valley