This film depicts the earthquake that struck at 6:00 a.m. on February 9, 1971, in the San Fernando Valley of California, detailing the earthquake and the government response. The quake, 6.6 on the Richter scale, resulted in 65 deaths and the destruction of two hospitals, two freeway interchanges, and the Lower Van Norman Dam. In response to this earthquake, California building codes were strengthened. California Governor Ronald Reagan, Vice President Spiro Agnew, Los Angeles Mayor Sam Yorty, LA Police Chief Ed Davis, and others were shown in the film. Some scenes in the film were re-created.
This 28-minute film was prepared for the President’s Office of Emergency Preparedness and the Defense Civil Preparedness Agency by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and released in 1973.
This program contains images of earthquake victims that some may find disturbing.