KTLA 5 coverage of the 1994 Northridge Earthquake - Part I

At exactly 4:30:55 a.m. on Jan. 17, 1994, Los Angeles was rocked by a magnitude 6.7 earthquake that caused catastrophic damage, particularly near the epicenter in the San Fernando Valley. 57 people lost their lives and property damage was estimated between $13 billion and $50 billion. This is an extended segment of KTLA 5’s live coverage from that day.
KTLA 5 News - Keeping Southern Californians informed since 1947.

[@bcgrote]

Baby faced Eric. Thanks for the coverage, KTLA. Once we had power, you kept us safe and encouraged through that scary time. ❤

[@Modernaire]

Thank you very much KTLA for sharing the coverage from your vault tapes! Great quality, historic footage and great reporting and KTLA work at the time.

[@NiceBoysWin]

I was five years old at the time, but I’ll tell you, there isn’t a more helpless feeling than sleeping in bed and waking up to the earth shaking beneath you and praying for the best as stuff from the walls are falling down.

[@julietorres5790]

I lived in east Simi Valley at the time and boy did my husband and I felt it! It was like our house had wings and was flying!

[@Kevin-zi3hc]

I'm still living in Simi Valley I was 14

[@juleskainmusic]

Wow! This is so interesting to see, thanks for posting KTLA, I was only 2 years old at the time

[@Oz_Darkr1d3r]

Thanks for uploading this I remember watching the news coverage as a kid! Just so you know your video says November 17th 1994 but the correct date is January 17th 1994.

[@Socaljohnson84]

I was 9 years old, scared af when this disaster happened 😳😳

[@Ryan_Christopher]

I was 19 and a recent immigrant. I still reported to my scheduled job that morning lol. I got to downtown at my venue and nobody else was there. Wasted $2.50 on bus fare.

[@FatimaIsabel_]

I was 8 almost 9. It was my first SoCal quake as well. Scared me so bad

[@rival121]

@@Ryan_Christopherthe buses were still running after a 6.7 Earthquake?

[@damienalicea8696]

This is unbelievable footage of 6.6 earthquake struck in L.A. Area in 1994. My home country Puerto Rico have the same the hour of earthquake struck in South coastline of Puerto Rico, it's the 4th Anniversary of the infamous earthquake of Peñuelas, Puerto Rico. It was 6.4 Richter Scale and the next day, there's aftershock. I got earthquake phobia since 2010.

[@linedanzer4302]

I remember that earthquake well. Lived near the Fairfax District. We couldn't get out of the underground garage because we had no electricity and then they shut off the water main in our area. My apartment unit (not the entire building) was messed up and I had to move.

[@stevesibaja3123]

Today marks the 30th Anniversary of the 1994 Northridge Earthquake

[@MajorNelson321]

People sound a lot smarter back then 😂

[@patboggio3193]

I lived in Silver Lake on top of a hill in a three story townhome. It was worst one I have ever felt. Lifelong Angeleno.

[@carleymichellehildebrand6482]

We primarily watched KTLA in the 90s (with plenty of Marc Brown on ABC 7 and Paul Moyer on NBC 4 thrown in). We just always loved KTLA's down-to-earthness and I think the Northridge coverage really captures that.

[@itsrobert2742]

I was 13 when this happened I remember lausd was closed for the week because of the disaster

[@stevenc23]

Thank you Ktla ❤

[@skkeech]

The audio is not great.

[@GlycerinZ]

yeah, welcome to 1994's technology.

[@seventhfirestephanie8740]

I was in my early 20s living in the City of Bell. It was scary as heck.

[@matw1x]

The good ol days

[@limeyprat]

Why are the audio levels so low on Part I?? I had to max out my speakers to barely hear the reporters. Part II is loud and clear.

[@20alphabet]

New KTLA ownership has no regard for the viewer.

[@ypcomchic]

It’s a vhs tape that’s why. No discs then.

[@bobbymoss6160]

Editor's probably one of those union guys who can do whatever they want, with zero percentage professional pride.

[@limeyprat]

@@ypcomchic During this time period it was BetaMax and the sound levels could have been adjusted in the transcoding of the video. News did not normally use VHS

[@blogdesign7126]

Settings of the equipment at the time of the quake and yes the crew at the time feared they had damaged equipment but they still had to warn everybody about the quake one way or another with the available equipment at the time.

[@ShonnMorris]

I live in San Diego. It didn't cause any damage here but we felt it really good down here. We used to get KTLA down here back on those days too so I remember watching the coverage. KTLA has some of the best news coverage.

[@Blueeyedsoul1986]

Come along way since 1994 . Didn’t feel it but EQ are scary

[@GlycerinZ]

I was 9 and lived in Simi Valley. Shook the hell out of me

[@dfair]

Awesome coverage as usual KTLA. However, the date time stamped on the upper left of the screen has the incorrect month :(

[@20alphabet]

Back when KTLA was valid.

[@justlooking2183]

I remember this. We had family in from out of state and were do to fly out that morning. My cousins boyfriend has said the night before “ man I didn’t get to feel an earthquake” boom that next morning we got hit. The shaking was so violent my grandparents couldn’t get out of bed

[@2ndarymotion]

January, not November.

[@peterpagano1813]

With no electricity to use or the pure fact that these news reporters would have more than likely had loved ones impacted by this quake. It poses a question, how were they able to cover this event in live time?

[@tylerthompson1842]

We lived in Northridge at the time. I was 14. Scared my parents enough to move to Connecticut lol. The furthest we could go from LA

[@Dorthy-wx9fq]

Did they find out if there was a storage area under the freeway? I know that this happened a long time ago but I still would like to know if they were found. Love from Marysville California

[@beinhorn]

Dang Eric Spillman looking young here

[@rhosigma2388]

That news caster looks familiar. Who is that?

[@alejandrorosas1436]

I was 20 and used to live in Anaheim Orange County but there was no major demage in my area.

[@Dorthy-wx9fq]

I hope that the people who are supposed to be living at that storerige place is okay. And are fine and that they didn't get hurt during this earthquake.

[@Mystique_Raven]

I remember this does anybody ever remember the sky looking red outside when it happened?

[@weworks7811]

In the day time ? Or night time?

[@Mystique_Raven]

@@weworks7811 night time

[@kristenhernandez5746]

i was 8 years old WOW, now 37

[@onipepperonni2088]

people back then were so articulate.

[@Dorthy-wx9fq]

Does anyone know if there was damage to anyplace neer the area where the February 9th 1971 Sylmar earthquake was? Love from Marysville, California

[@abrahamhidalgo3605]

I was in the 6th grade

[@20alphabet]

You still are.

[@WLA-General]

@@20alphabet🤡

[@WLA-General]

Same. Emerson Middle School. Tha 9Quats

[@anwion]

nice classic footage 💯

[@Jess-mp3db]

Earth shaking news!

[@melissaperez1555]

My dad was on the top bunk bed when it happened and he fell off due to it

[@Hellhole2030]

There's no way that quake was a 6.7 and caused all that damage all the way to Pacific Palisades. That quake was a 9.5. It was under reported because the government didn't want to pay out, the federal government by law had to give grants to businesses and homeowners if it was more than 8.0. By law California had to suspend taxes for the year if it was a 7.0 or more, so California told seismologists to report it was a 6.7. I hate the government, what BS, and what fools you all are for believing it was a 6.7.

[@aaronromano261]

Watch video of the 6.9 that hit Kobe, Japan a year later. Magnitude has nothing to do with intensity. This one was particularly bad because it was incredibly shallow, it was still very large, and it was located directly under a densely populated metropolis.

[@disan9135]

It depends on how deep it is. A 5.0 that is very shallow can be felt like a 6.0.

[@salravioli]

Take your meds. 😅

[@weworks7811]

@@aaronromano261haarp caused the two earthquakes.and the Northridge quake was a 8.2.Lucy Jones was told to lie and swore to secrecy.

[@JohnnyLovesMariah1990]

NOT November 🙄

[@chrislaneDivo]

❤❤❤2024 8/12

[@cynthiapalmer6176]

i don't like earthquake 😐❤😂😅

[@rival121]

Welcome to English!

[@vetagainsttrump16]

I was living on Erwin next to Reseda Park when that happened