Concerns About TV Film

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Seismic experts have expressed concerns over inaccuracies in a new mini-series about a major earthquake due to be broadcast next month in the States.

In NBC's 10.5, a massive quakes topples the Golden Gate Bridge and sends the Pacific Ocean rushing through Los Angeles.

Seismologists who have previewed 10.5 expressed both alarm and amusement. A magnitude-10.5 earthquake would be 8,000 times more powerful than the 6.7 Northridge quake that killed 72 people in Southern California in 1994.

The faults that underlie California would not be capable of generating such a huge quake, experts said. Such a quake could be theoretically possible elsewhere, but the largest earthquake in recorded history was a magnitude 9.5 off Chile in 1960.

Lucy Jones, scientist in charge of the U.S. Geological Survey office in Pasadena, said: "The production is blatantly inconsistent with everything we know about earthquakes. It's complete science fantasy, but as long as people know that nothing about it could be true, they can sit back and enjoy it."

Darrell Young, director of the state Department of Conservation, said NBC should run a disclaimer, as well as list Web sites where audiences could get true information about quakes.

The four-hour mini-series stars Kim Delaney and Beau Bridges and is set to air May 2 and 3.