EARTHQUAKE

MAGNITUDE, INTENSITY, HAZARDS, PRECAUTIONS

 EARTHQUAKE

A shaking or trembling of a part of the earth’s surface that often

causes great damage
 MAGNITUDE INTENSITY

■ Measures the energy released at ■ Intensity measures the strength of

the source of the earthquake shaking produced by the
earthquake at a certain location
■ Is determined from measurements
on seismographs. ■ Is determined from effects on
people, human structures, and the
natural environment.
The following table gives Magnitude/Intensity Comparison that are typically
observed at locations near the epicenter of earthquakes with Abbreviated
Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale

Magnitude Modified Abbreviated Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale

Mercalli
Intensity
1.0-3.0 I I. Not felt except by a very few under especially favorable conditions.

3.0- 3.9 II-III II. Felt only by a few persons at rest, especially on upper floors of
buildings
III. Felt quite noticeably by persons indoors, especially on upper
floors of buildings. Many people do not recognize it as an
earthquake. Standing motor cars may rock slightly. Vibrations similar
to the passing of a truck. Duration estimated.

4.0-4.9 IV-V IV. Felt indoors by many, outdoors by few during the day. At night,
some awakened. Dishes, windows, doors disturbed; walls make
cracking sound. Sensation like heavy truck striking building.
Standing motor cars rocked noticeably.
The following table gives Magnitude/Intensity Comparison that are typically
observed at locations near the epicenter of earthquakes with Abbreviated
Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale

Magnitude Modified Abbreviated Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale

Mercalli
Intensity
4.0-4.9 IV-V V. Felt by nearly everyone; many awakened. Some dishes, windows
broken. Unstable objects overturned. Pendulum clocks may stop.
5.0-5.9 VI-VII VI. Felt by all, many frightened. Some heavy furniture moved; a few
instances of fallen plaster. Damage slight.
VII. Damage negligible in buildings of good design and
construction; slight to moderate in well-built ordinary structures;
considerable damage in poorly built or badly designed structures;
some chimneys broken.

VIII. Damage slight in specially designed structures; considerable

damage in ordinary substantial buildings with partial collapse.
6.0 - 6.9 VIII - IX
Damage great in poorly built structures. Fall of chimneys, factory
stacks, columns, monuments, walls. Heavy furniture overturned.
The following table gives Magnitude/Intensity Comparison that are typically
observed at locations near the epicenter of earthquakes with Abbreviated
Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale

Magnitude Modified Abbreviated Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale

Mercalli
Intensity
IX. Damage considerable in specially designed structures; well-
designed frame structures thrown out of plumb. Damage great in
6.0 - 6.9 VII - IX
substantial buildings, with partial collapse. Buildings shifted off
foundations.
X. Some well-built wooden structures destroyed; most masonry
and frame structures destroyed with foundations. Rails bent.
XI. Few, if any (masonry) structures remain standing. Bridges
7.0 and
VIII or higher destroyed. Rails bent greatly.
higher
XII. Damage total. Lines of sight and level are distorted. Objects
thrown into the air.
Earthquake Something that may cause injury or harm
that depends on the strength of seismic

Hazards activity.

1. Ground Shaking
2. Liquefaction
3. Ground Displacement
3. Landslide and Flooding
4. Tsunami
5. Fire
 Ground Shaking

■ The first main earthquake hazard (danger) is

the effect of ground shaking. It s the primary
cause of earthquake damage to man-made
structures.
■ When the ground shakes strongly, buildings can
be damaged or destroyed and their occupants
may be injured or killed.
■ The ground shaking may also cause landslides,
mudslides on steeper hills or mountains, all of
which can damage buildings and hurt people.
 Liquefaction

■ Liquefaction is the mixing of sand or soil

and groundwater (water underground) during the
shaking of a moderate or strong earthquake.
■ When the water and soil are mixed, the ground
becomes very soft and acts similar to quicksand.
If liquefaction occurs under a building, it may
start to lean, tip over, or sink several feet.
■ Liquefaction is a hazard in areas that have
groundwater near the surface and sandy soil.
 Ground
Displacement
■ The second main earthquake hazard is ground
displacement (ground movement) along a fault.
If a structure (a building, road, etc.) is built
across a fault, the ground displacement during
an earthquake could seriously damage or rip
apart that structure.
 Landslides and
Flooding
■ Earthquakes can trigger landslides, especially in
areas with water-saturated soils.
■ Landslides may result in falling rocks and debris
that collide with people, buildings and vehicles.
■ An earthquake can rupture (break) dams or
levees along a river. The water from the river or
the reservoir would then flood the area,
damaging buildings and maybe sweeping away
or drowning people.
 Tsunami or
Tidal Wave
■ A tsunami is a series of waves or surges most
commonly caused by an earthquake beneath the
sea floor. Tsunamis can cause great loss of life and
property damage in coastal areas.

■ Large tsunamis may reach heights of twenty to fifty

feet along the coast and even higher in a few
locales. The first tsunami surge is not the highest
and the largest surge may occur hours after the
first wave.
 Fire

■ Fires, often associated with broken electrical

and gas lines, is one of the common side effects
of earthquakes. Gas is set free as gas lines are
broken and a spark will start bringing "inferno".
To complicate things water lines are broken and
so there is no water to extinguish the fire.