Call off the World Cup!

…and evacuate the country!

Because, after much seismic activity around the globe this year, it seems that an expert has predicted the country is almost certain to be hit by a major natural disaster. 

And it could strike during this summer’s footie tournament!!!!!!

Yes, expert Dr Chris Hartnady thinks SA is about to be hit by an earthquake. And he has singled out Durban and Cape Town as the areas most likely to be hit.

As the Daily Star points out

That’s bad news for England’s stars, who are set to face Algeria in Cape Town June 18.

 And the 3 million people that live here as well, right? Right?

Dr Hartnady believes the tectonic plates of the Earth’s crust are active on a fault line that could pose a major threat to South Africa.
He said: “A major earthquake disaster in the region is inevitable because wide areas of southern Africa are affected by the slow, southward spread of the East African rift system.
It is not a question of if, but when. The consequences would be so expensive in terms of mortality and economic cost that the risk of being ill-prepared is unacceptably high.”

Personally, I think Dr Hartnady is talking out of the African rift system between his butt cheeks, but it is obviously a concern: an earthquake would cause untold damage to beautiful Cape Town.

Still, on the up side, it might tidy Durban up a bit.

9 thoughts on “Call off the World Cup!

  1. Bleh! The largest quake in SA was on the continental margin off the the KZN (St Lucia) coast in 1932. It was a 6.5 and only expected to occur every 700 – 1000 years or so. I think we might just be OK and survive for now.

  2. Look on the bright side…

    A good earthquake might at least stop that mountain having such an unfeasibly flat top…

    Other than that – how would Dr Hartnady suggest that preparations might be made between now and June?

    I somehow doubt we will hear from him again…

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