As an aftermath to the 1971 San Fernando earthquake in southern California two existing levelling routes were relevelled in order to assess the amount of earth shift that triggered this earthquake. Comparison of
the new and old data revealed two important points: (a) the 1971 earthshift resulted in a maximum uplift of 2 m on the upthrown (Transverse Ranges) side and a maximum subsidence of 110 mm on the downthrown (Los Angeles basin complex) side. (b) prior to the 1971 earthshift the area was deforming for at least 10 years, reaching over the period 1968-69 the maximum of about 80 mm uplift in the future epicentral area.