How Realistic is the Movie ‘San Andreas’?

How realistic is the earthquake in Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s summer movie, ‘San Andreas’?

Could an earthquake be felt from California all the way to the East Coast? Can it rock number so high that even the Richter Scale cannot even read them? Could an earthquak be so big it can will turn San Francisco into a an underwater city?

The upcoming Warner Bros. feature film ‘San Andreas,’ which features Dwayne Johnson and is directed by Brad Peyton, is so realistic that scientists are saying many scenes could really happen. The movie is so realistic that seismologists hope the movie becomes a “teachable moment,” for millions of people to learn how to survive and prepare themselves for the “Big one.”

From Variety:

“I am looking forward to seeing this and I am expecting to have a good time,” said Tom Jordan, a USC professor and director of the Southern California Earthquake Center, of the film. “As long as people don’t think of it as realistic portrayal of what happens in a quake, we are OK. And why would they? It’s Hollywood.”

Producer Beau Flynn talked to Jordan and other experts early in the making of “San Andreas.” “There are things they are going to say are embellished,” Flynn acknowledged. “But it’s not a documentary and I have always been very upfront about that.”

Flynn said, importantly, his film will show how people should “drop, cover and hold on” in the midst of a quake. And he believes it will inspire many to prepare their homes and offices and to become more supportive of seismic research.

“I hope people have fun at the movie and an intense thrill ride,” Flynn said, “and then look up what they should be doing and what could really happen in a quake.” To enhance the chance of the latter, the film’s hero, Johnson, has filmed public service announcements in which he delivers the “drop, cover and hold on” safety mantra.

According to reports, here are 5 scientific things about the ‘San Andreas’ movie.

1. Size

Scientists believe that an earthquake the size of an 8.3 can rock the San Andreas Fault in California.

2. Can the Earth open up?

Scientists argue that in an earthquake major size holes will open up and swallow communities hole is more fiction than reality. In an earthquake, tectonic plates slide up against each other instead away from each other.

3. Tsunami

Tsunami waves are waves are massive and increase the sea level but, in the ‘San Andreas’ movie the waves are too large and probably would not happen.

4. Collapsing buildings

In the ‘San Andreas’ movie, a large majority of buildings across the center of Los Angeles appear to crash to and crumble to the ground. Scientists argue that in a major earthquake along the San Andreas fault only 1 in every 16 buildings would fall to the ground. Therefore, the damage in the movie is far to extensive to be real.

Despite these limitations, a major earthquake could and probably will happen in San Francisco. It will not be as extensive as Hollywood’s imagination. But, expect buildings to fall, and water levels to rise. Unfortunately, for me and you, don’t expect Dwayne Johnson to save you.

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