2003 San Simeon earthquake
 Los Angeles
San Simeon
Paso Robles
 |
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| Date | December 22, 2003 |
|---|---|
| Origin time | 19:15:57 |
| Magnitude | 6.6 Mw |
| Depth | 10 mi (16 km) |
| Epicenter | 35°37′N 121°04′W / 35.62°N 121.07°W |
| Type | Blind thrust |
| Areas affected |
Central Coast (California) United States |
| Total damage | $250–300 million |
| Max. intensity | VIII (Severe) |
| Casualties | 2 killed 40 injured |
The 2003 San Simeon earthquake occurred with a moment magnitude of 6.6 on the Central Coast of California, about 7 miles (11 km) northeast of San Simeon. It occurred at 11:15 PST (19:15 UTC) on December 22. The earthquake probably occurred on the Oceanic fault zone in the Santa Lucia Mountains. It was caused by thrust faulting and propagated southeast from the hypocenter for 12 miles (19 km). The most violent ground movement occurred within 50 miles of the epicenter, though the earthquake was felt as far away as Los Angeles. It was the most destructive earthquake to hit the U.S since the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
The area where the quake struck displays complex faulting, between the Oceanic Fault and Nacimiento Fault zones, along with possible interaction from the Hosgri fault and San Simeon Fault zones.
The area around the epicenter is sparsely populated and the most severe damage occurred in Paso Robles, 24 miles (39 km) east-southeast, where the earthquake's only fatalities occurred. The Acorn Building, an unreinforced masonry building built in 1892, completely collapsed, killing two women, Jennifer Myrick and Marilyn Frost-Zafuto. Other unreinforced masonry buildings, some more than a century old, in the city's historic downtown area also had extensive damage. However, none of the buildings that had even partial retrofitting collapsed. There was a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the relatives of the deceased women against Mary Mastagni, and several trusts which owned the Acorn Building. The jury found Mastagni negligent in the care and maintenance of the Acorn Building, due to not retrofitting the building, and awarded nearly $2 million to the plaintiffs.
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