Impact of a Major Cold War Era West Coast Earthquake?

Delta Force

Banned
What would have been the impact of a major eruption of the California or Cascadia faults during the Cold War Era? Could it lead to a major recession in Japan and the United States or possibly even give Europe and the Soviets a boost? What if both plates and/or some volcanoes even erupted in close proximity to each other, as recent studies indicate may happen?

There are some major repercussions I can see from an earthquake in either location.

A California earthquake would hit one of the largest economies in the world. Trans-Pacific trade would be significantly impacted depending on the condition of the ports and airports in the region. Space launches out of Vandenberg would be impacted. Commercial and military aerospace production at McDonnell-Douglas could be set back as well. There could be damage to nuclear power stations throughout the state, especially in cases where fault lines and building errors haven't been discovered (Diablo Canyon Unit 2 had its seismic supports installed backwards). Energy and fuel shortages could also occur along the West Coast if the Pacific DC Intertie and petroleum refineries are disrupted, especially in Oregon. If it's prior to the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill or if that's butterflied there would also be offshore drilling.

A Cascadia earthquake would hit Oregon and Washington. Prior to the 1980s they enjoyed some of the lowest energy prices in the world, so heavy industry flocked to the area. In addition to Hanford Site, Boeing, and Microsoft, the region was also a major producer of electronics and aluminum. Oregon's Trojan Nuclear Power Plant might be operating, and it was discovered to have major construction errors and proximity to a previously unknown fault after a few years of operation.

Any input on this?
 

Delta Force

Banned
Also, about how resistant are offshore drilling platforms and hydroelectric facilities to earthquakes? Would there be any risk of petroleum and natural gas fields ripping open from the earthquake or hydroelectric facilities failing?
 

Delta Force

Banned
Maybe the industrial states could do better for a few years due to the need to rebuild and the extra complexity of getting imports from Japan?
 
On the issue of offshore platforms,

While platforms on the shelf (and therefore touching the seabed) would be at risk, deep-water platforms which make no contact with the sea floor would not, I imagine, be at great risk.
 

Delta Force

Banned
Wasn't there a major quake in LA in about 1986, a major overhead freeway fell down ?

It was the Cypress Street Viaduct in Oakland, which collapsed during the 1989 Loma Prieta/World Series Earthquake. Due to the fact that the World Series was taking place in San Francisco, there weren't as many people on the highway as there normally would have been at the time. The highway collapse actually caused a majority of the fatalities during that earthquake.
 
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