SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — In just a few days, San Andreas the movie will open nationwide.
The disaster movie about an earthquake in California has some pretty dramatic trailers, but how scientifically accurate is the film? Morgan Page, a geophysicist with the United States Geological Service says not very.
Page hasn’t seen the film, but looked over the trailer.
In it, the film shows a powerful earthquake striking Los Angeles, and then a scientist, played by Paul Giamatti predicts that the earthquake would be so strong, it would be felt on the east coast.
Page says that isn’t quite accurate. “You wouldn’t feel a California earthquake on the east coast,” said Page.
Then, there’s a shot where the San Andreas fault appears to open up the earth.
Again, Page says that wouldn’t happen. “the San Andreas fault is not going to open up. It a fault that slides like this; it’s not going to open,” she explained.
The trailer ends with a giant tsunami wave smashing through the Golden Gate Bridge.
Once once again, Page says not quite. “the San Andreas has slip motion. This isn’t the type of motion that would generate a tsunami wave. You need something like a subduction where you’re lifting large volumes of water, so it didn’t appear to be realistic.”
Page said that why the trailer doesn’t appear to be accurate, she thinks viewers can still learn something from it. “My hope is that the movie just reminds everyone that California is earthquake country and we all need to be prepared,” said Page.