If you live in California, you’re very familiar with the looming threat of a major earthquake. The phrase “overdue” causes you to plunge your head into the sand and hope that an earthquake doesn’t crush your skull right in that moment.
As such San Andreas, the latest disaster thriller starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, might not be for you. The movie is about a huge earthquake that literally shakes California down to the ground.
Lucy Jones, a seismologist with the USGS based in Pasadena, Calif., attended the Hollywood premiere of San Andreas and livetweeted her reaction to the movie. Jones is also an adviser to Los Angeles mayor, Eric Garcetti. Jones “has become a prominent figure for not only sounding the alarm on the city’s lack of earthquake readiness but also for making seismology accessible to the public, particularly through her Twitter feed,” The LA Times reported.
My first experience of a red carpet at to the premiere of San Andrea pic.twitter.com/eHcL4NdPvL
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Jones did allay some fears about the possibilities of an earthquake along the San Andreas fault line.
First big howler. San Andreas the movie pretends that California has a subduction zone. We can only have a M8.2
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Though a magnitude 8.6 would be quite a raucous earthquake, to say the least.
If seismologists could actually predict EQs, we’d all be much richer. Too bad that part of San Andreas isn’t real…
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
It’s true. Scientists can’t predict earthquakes mainly because earthquakes are unpredictable. That is to say that they can happen pretty much anytime, without very much warning at all. Seismologists can forecast earthquake probability over a long period of time, but that’s about as far as we’ve gotten. However, some researchers have found that animal behavior can be predictive of earthquakes.
First big safety message- if the shaking is bad enough to damage a dam you won’t be able to run
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
The seismologist says “no one listens to us until the ground shakes.” Thank heavens @ericgarcetti made this untrue
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
The seismologist says “no one listens to us until the ground shakes.” Thank heavens @ericgarcetti made this untrue
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
The predictions aren’t real but EQ triggering is real. A California EQ M7.3 in 1992 triggered a M5.7 in Nevada the next day
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Yes! Drop, cover& hold on. The right thing to do in an earthquake
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Now people fall trying to run but they run anyway. I guess only the seismologists know Drop Cover Hold On
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
I like that the aftershocks keep on hitting and cause more damage. That’s the reality of Big EQs
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
We expect serious damage to 1 in every 16 buildings in a real San Andreas EQ. The movie damage over the top.
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
The human reality of EQs. You are probably going to be rescued by your neighbor- or the cute guy you just met
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Another good tidbit. Landlines work when cellphones are out because of no electricity
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Great emotional message – not knowing if your family is ok is hard. Do you have a family communication plan?
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
OMG! A chasm? If the fault could open up, there’d be no friction. With no friction, there’d be no earthquake
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
The competent young woman knows what to do! And wins over the guys. Advertising for emergency training
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Special effects accomplished what the earth never will. People take pictures after EQs of damages but not of the buildings that are ok.
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Recognizing water draw down as sign of tsunami is good. However tsunami from San Andreas is impossible. Now we are in fantasy territory
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
The competent young woman understands vertical evacuation. One way to escape tsunami is going up a building
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Competence makes the girl sexy! That’s a new message i can applaud!
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
Bottom line: don’t learn seismology from #SanAndreas but maybe it will inspire people to take Community Emergency Response Training
— Dr. Lucy Jones (@DrLucyJones) May 27, 2015
That last tweet is definitely the most important. Here’s a whole website of government recommendations on how to prepare for emergencies and natural disasters.
Photo via Eva Rinaldi/Flickr (CC BY SA 2.0)
