A state of emergency was declared in Southern Napa Valley after the earthquake, and damage costs are still being estimated. And the Napa wine industry is responsible for $1.2 billion in state and local taxes. However, the confident outlook couldn't mask that the damage was extensive, especially in the Carneros region. Almost 35 percent of all California vineyard acreage is in the Napa Valley alone. Engineer Justin Moresco (right) of RMS looks over a hole created by the earthquake in Napa, Calif. Risk Management Solutions (RMS) is a group of professionals that look at structural damage, liquefaction zones and interviews to determine the cost of the damage from an earthquake like the South Napa event. This report summarizes MRP Engineering observations of earthquake impacts conducted August 24 through 26, 2014. While injuries are currently just a fraction of the Loma Prieta total, initial damage estimates suggest the price tag could reach the 1989 6.9-magnitude's $6 billion estimated cost. The Coombs Street pedestrian bridge was closed as a precaution with a damaged anchorage, and the Tallgrass Bridge was closed due to damage. I never understood it, but when it happens to you. While the quake's cost to the wine industry remains unknown, the Napa Valley Vintners Association announced Wednesday that it will donate $10 million for earthquake relief. Maybe the only positive out of this is it'll give other California wine regions, like Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County or the Sierras, a chance to crawl out from under Napa's shadow, which in the long-run could mean an even more robust California wine industry. She reported on Black Lives Matter demonstrations, the Occupy movement, the Napa earthquake, the Rim Fire and the World Series riots as well as on homicides, criminal street gangs, sexual assaults, domestic violence cases and police personnel matters. The Trefethen Family Vineyards winery building in Napa which suffered sever damage when the second floor shifted about four feet during the Sunday morning 6.0 magnitude earthquake. now reading: The Economic Impact Of the Napa Earthquake. August 26, 2014. An earthquake alert system would have given residents notice, but not enough time to secure the barrels and bottles of wine, something that probably should have been done years ago. The South Napa earthquake along the San Andreas Fault reached 6.0, caused roughly $1 billion in damage, injured 200, killed one and jolted plenty … Nor does it take into account the cost to the Napa Valley wine industry, which is still being tallied. Initial reports suggest that the costs will surpass $1 billion and could be as much as $4 billion. The earthquake has not only had a significant economic impact on the country’s infrastructure but it also has had significant social repercussions, such as in the loss of the quality of life of the population because of the destruction of property and material goods. As of Wednesday, inspectors had red-tagged 116 buildings in Napa as uninhabitable, with 513 more yellow-tagged and in need of repairs. Earthquake information from USGS including ShakeMap and PAGER .. One independently run school, Stone Bridge Charter School southwest of Napa, remained closed for repairs. Anecdotal evidence suggests damage to both property and inventory is large. Weis said the damage included crushed barrels and thousands of gallons of lost 2013 vintage wine, along with hoses, pumps, barrel lifts, washers, valve shutoffs, tank fixtures, portable cooling units, forklifts and "whatever you can think of that would be damaged by barrels bouncing of the top of it.". With an average premium of $700 per year and deductibles of between 10 and 15 percent, earthquake insurance is quite expensive and policies are quite strict - typically covering just the property directly damaged by the earthquake, which in this case creates ambiguity of whether the inventory would be covered. I've had this store since 1995, and I love my store.". The city of Napa (with a population of about 80,000) is located approximately 10 kilometers north of the earthquake epicenter. In Vallejo, 11 buildings had been red-tagged and 155 had yellow tags. The ripples of destruction left by a powerful earthquake came into sharp focus Wednesday when Napa officials estimated a $300 million hit to homes and businesses in that city alone - a figure that may bolster efforts to bring in federal disaster aid. Sunday morning, the San Francisco Bay area awoke to shaking; a 6.0 magnitude earthquake, California's strongest since the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, rocked Napa and Sonoma counties. "I request that you declare a major disaster for the State of California as a result of the South Napa Earthquake that affected Napa, Solano, and Sonoma Counties," Governor Brown wrote in a letter sent to the White House today. But asking politicians to guarantee there won't be any bailouts is asking them to do the impossible: deny those in need of help, especially when the aid has enormous public support. The earthquake's epicenter was a few miles south of Napa … Some vineyard owners are saying that upwards of 50 percent of their product has been damaged. As of Wednesday, 116 buildings in Napa had been red-tagged by inspectors as uninhabitable, with 513 more yellow-tagged and in need of repairs. And reduced tax revenues and possible relief aid from the state could severely impact an already-stretched state budget. Carson Bruno is the assistant dean for admission and program relations at the Pepperdine School of Public Policy. E-mail: hlee@sfchronicle.com, haleaziz@sfchronicle.com, pfimrite@sfchronicle.com, vho@sfchronicle.com. Bush signed a $1.1 billion relief package for California. Dissuading a property-owner even more is the implied guarantee of a state or federal bailout after the fact. "Compared to what it could have been, it doesn't feel like a pain at all," Strickland said. 16th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering. This survey gathers information about the economic impacts of the South Napa Earthquake of August 24, 2014 over time. Those who have earthquake insurance would be eligible for assistance to pay for uncovered losses. The Economic Impact Of the Napa Earthquake. The actual cost won't be known for months or even years, but the Napa earthquake will have serious economic and budget impacts. Satellite radar image of the magnitude 6.0 South Napa earthquake. Linda Reiff, who heads the nonprofit vintners association, said she hopes to have an estimate of total losses to the wine industry by the end of the week. "So far, and the surveys are still coming in, over 20 percent of our members have reported some kind of damage either to wine or structures," said Russ Weis, the chairman of the vintners association and the general manager of Silverado Vineyards. "I don't want to scare folks, but this is a deadly disease and we need to be mindful of where... David Arrington, a lifelong art collector, accrued so many Adams photographs that employees at... Tom Trauger was among the five cyclists killed. Before she joined The Chronicle, Vivian reported for the Boston Globe and the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. She also writes for Chronicle Watch, a weekly column exploring stubborn issues in the Bay Area. Meanwhile, vintners and winery workers are still righting hundreds of wine barrels that toppled and gauging the damage. recent articles. Before the federal government steps in, however, city, county and state officials must conduct a detailed damage assessment. Under federal programs, homeowners without earthquake insurance may qualify for as much as $30,000 in cash aid as well as low-interest loans up to $240,000 for making fixes and replacing property. The estimate from Sunday's magnitude 6.0 quake doesn't include damage to public buildings and infrastructure or general economic losses, officials said. 2 of 2021's ‘hottest neighborhoods’ are in driving... Texas oilman sells 'holy grail' of Ansel Adams' Calif. photos. 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