In the disaster movie San Andreas, the titular Californian fault line ruptures with, literally, Earth-shattering consequences on a scale never before seen in the earthquake-prone area.
It leaves a trail of misery and destruction that stretches from Los Angeles to San Francisco – and causes the film’s stars, Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino and Alexandra Daddario, to have a very bad day.
Skyscrapers crumble, fires erupt, tsunami waves swamp the Golden Gate Bridge and, horror of horrors, the letters of the Hollywood sign fall down.
The film offers a somewhat fantastical look at an all-too-real seismic threat. San Andreas has long been considered one of the most dangerous earthquake faults because of its length. At nearly 1,287 kilometres long, it cuts through California like a scar and has been responsible for some of the largest quakes in state history.
In the film, which is out today, another, previously unknown, fault line near the Hoover Dam in Nevada ruptures and triggers San Andreas. Southern California is rocked by an incredibly powerful magnitude-9.1 quake, followed by an even stronger magnitude-9.6 in the north.
Obviously, Hollywood rarely lets the facts get in the way of a good story – or stunning special effects. So US Geological Survey seismologist Susan Hough took a look at the film to judge whether the disaster it depicts is pure fantasy – or a realistic depiction of what might happen when San Andreas rumbles again for real.
Her conclusion is not particularly comforting for those living along the fault line. While some of the wilder excesses of the film are pure Hollywood fiction, including an implausible plot, she says that San Andreas will indeed break again – and without warning.
“We are, at some point, going to face a big earthquake,” she says.
How big?
San Andreas is notorious for producing big ones, but a magnitude-9 or larger, as is the case in the film, is virtually impossible because the fault is not long or deep enough, Hough says.
The most powerful quakes in recorded history happened offshore, when one massive tectonic plate slips beneath another. The magnitude-9.5 quake off Chile in 1960 is the world-record holder.
San Andreas has revealed its own awesome power. In 1906, a magnitude-7.8 reduced parts of San Francisco to fiery rubble. Nearly 50 years earlier, a similar-sized quake rattled the southern end of the fault. In 2008, the USGS led a team of 300 experts who wrote a document detailing what would happen if a magnitude-7.8 hit the southern San Andreas, to help prepare for such an emergency.
The lesson: it doesn’t take a magnitude-9 to wreak havoc. Researchers calculated 1,800 people would be killed and 50,000 injured by a magnitude-7.8. Hundreds of brick buildings and concrete structures, and a few high-rise steel buildings, would collapse.
Computer models show the San Andreas is capable of producing a magnitude-8.3 quake.
Will there be a warning?
In the film, seismologist Lawrence Hayes (played by Paul Giamatti) notices spikes in “magnetic pulses” that herald a coming monster quake.
After a century of research, earthquake prediction remains elusive. Scientists can’t predict when a jolt is coming and are pessimistic about ever having the ability. Every potential warning sign – animal behaviour, weather patterns, electromagnetic signals, atmospheric observations, levels of radon gas in soil or groundwater – has failed.
“We wish it were as simple as the movie portrays – it isn’t,” Hough says. “Researchers have scoured every imaginable signal trying to find reliable precursors. Nothing has panned out.”
The latest focus is on creating early-warning systems that give people a few seconds warning after a quake hits, but before the strong shaking starts.
Tsunami in San Francisco?
Unlike the events in the film, the San Andreas Fault cannot cause a tsunami.
They are triggered by underwater quakes. Giant tsunami waves are formed when the Earth’s crust violently shifts, displacing huge amounts of seawater.
The San Andreas is a strike-slip fault, in which opposing blocks of rocks slide past each other horizontally. A big San Andreas quake can spark fires and other mayhem, but it can’t displace water and flood San Francisco.
More than 80 – mostly small – tsunamis have been observed along California’s coast in the past, triggered mostly by faraway quakes.
Will East-Coast US feel it?
In the movie, the scientist warns that the coming quake will be so strong, the shaking would be felt on the East Coast.
In reality, even the largest possible San Andreas quake could not rattle the East Coast. While seismic waves can make the Earth reverberate like a bell, the ringing can only be detected by sensitive instruments because it is so low.
Drop, cover and hold on?
When the ground starts to shake, the seismologist makes the ideal public service announcement: “Drop, cover and hold on.”
Since 2008, millions of people in California and elsewhere have participated in yearly disaster drills in which they practise diving under a table and learn other survival tips.
If you’re outdoors when the ground moves, experts recommend bracing against a wall, similar to what search-and-rescue helicopter pilot Ray Gaines, played by Johnson, tells scared survivors in the movie.
“Having Paul Giamatti shouting, ‘Drop, cover and hold on!’ and The Rock telling people to crouch against a wall if they can is one heck of a PSA,” Hough says.
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
SHAITTAN
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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Khaldoon%20Bushnaq%20and%20Tariq%20Seksek%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%20Global%20Market%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20100%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20to%20date%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2415%20million%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Straightforward ways to reduce sugar in your family's diet
- Ban fruit juice and sodas
- Eat a hearty breakfast that contains fats and wholegrains, such as peanut butter on multigrain toast or full-fat plain yoghurt with whole fruit and nuts, to avoid the need for a 10am snack
- Give young children plain yoghurt with whole fruits mashed into it
- Reduce the number of cakes, biscuits and sweets. Reserve them for a treat
- Don’t eat dessert every day
- Make your own smoothies. Always use the whole fruit to maintain the benefit of its fibre content and don’t add any sweeteners
- Always go for natural whole foods over processed, packaged foods. Ask yourself would your grandmother have eaten it?
- Read food labels if you really do feel the need to buy processed food
- Eat everything in moderation
