The Loma Prieta Earthquake struck at 5:04 p.m. during rush hour traffic. In Oakland the worst damage was the collapse of the top deck onto the bottom deck of the double decker Cypress freeway. 42 people were killed, half of the total deaths recorded for the entire quake. Rescue workers proceeded with fear that the entire structure would collapse. The freeway had to be shored up in order to allow rescue workers to do their work.