Earthquakes are not easily predicted, and can cause tremendous damage to structures, including highways, bridges and rail systems. Examples include the Northridge, CA earthquake (January 17, 1994), which gained worldwide attention because of extensive damage to the vast freeway network, which serves millions of commuters every day.
On October 17, 1989, a major earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay area. The earthquake was nicknamed the World Series Earthquake because it occurred just before a World Series baseball game scheduled to begin in Candlestick Park. Among other extensive damage, a double-decker portion of the freeway collapsed, tragically crushing the cars on the lower deck.
