EARTH SCIENCE

Platte Canyon High School
Bailey, Colorado

Useful Info

USEFUL INFORMATION
 Modified Mercalli Earthquake Scale
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I

People: Not felt, or only under rare circumstances
Hanging Objects:
Small Objects:
Poorly Built Construction:
Well Built Construction:
Comments:

 
II

People: Felt indoors by some, especially on upper floors
Hanging Objects:  may swing
Small Objects:
Poorly Built Construction:
Well Built Construction:
Comments:

 
III

People: Felt indoors by many
Hanging Objects:
Small Objects:
Poorly Built Construction:
Well Built Construction:
Comments:  sometimes not recognized as EQ; like passing truck

  
IV

People: Felt indoors by many; outside by few; wakes some up
Hanging Objects: swing
Small Objects: dishes, windows, doors rattle; walls creak; standing cars rock
Poorly Built Construction:
Well Built Construction:
Comments:

 
V

People: Felt indoors by all; outdoors by many; wakes up many
Hanging Objects: swing a lot
Small Objects: breaks dishes; overturns objects;
Poorly Built Construction: cracks windows and walls
Well Built Construction:
Comments:

 
VI

People: Felt by everyone; frightens
Hanging Objects:
Small Objects: fall from walls and shelves; furniture overturned
Poorly Built Construction: chimneys damaged; slight damage to buildings
Well Built Construction:
Comments:

 
VII

People: Frightening; difficult to stand; noticed by persons driving autos
Hanging Objects:
Small Objects:
Poorly Built Construction: considerable damage; weak chimneys broken at roof-line, sometimes damaging roofs.
Well Built Construction: damage negligible
Comments: Trees and bushes moderately shaken, waves noticed on ponds and lakes; water turbid from stirred up mud; some stream banks collapse.  Large church bells ring. 

 
VIII

People: Very frightening, approaching panic
Hanging Objects:
Small Objects:
Poorly Built Construction: Collapse, considerable damage
Well Built Construction: Some damage
Comments: well flow affected; chimneys, monuments, factory stacks toppled.

 
IX

People: Panic
Hanging Objects:
Small Objects:
Poorly Built Construction: Collapse; shifted off foundations
Well Built Construction: Noticeable damage
Comments: Ground cracks, underground pipes broken

 
X

People: Panic
Hanging Objects:
Small Objects:
Poorly Built Construction: Collapsed
Well Built Construction: Severe damage
Comments: Landslides; wavy folds in asphalt and concrete; railroad rails bent

 
XI

People: Panic
Hanging Objects:
Small Objects:
Poorly Built Construction: Total destruction
Well Built Construction: severe damage; bridges destroyed
Comments: as X, but to greater degree

 
XII

People: Panic
Hanging Objects:
Small Objects:
Poorly Built Construction: Total destruction
Well Built Construction:  Total destruction
Comments: Waves seen on ground surface; lines of sight and level are distorted; objects thrown upward into air.

  

Interesting and sometimes bizarre Links:  Mostly a lot of ways to say the same thing.

http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/doc/mmi.html

http://wwwneic.cr.usgs.gov/neis/general/handouts/mercalli.html

http://www.seismo.unr.edu/ftp/pub/louie/class/100/mercalli.html

http://www.eas.slu.edu/Earthquake_Center/mercalli.html

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/Seismicity/description_mercalli.html

http://www.geo.mtu.edu/UPSeis/Mercalli.html

http://www.scecdc.scec.org/mercalli.html

http://www.seismo.nrcan.gc.ca/magnitudes/mercalli_e.html

http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/doc/mmi_plain.html

http://www.geophys.washington.edu/SEIS/PNSN/INFO_GENERAL/NQT/table1.html

http://www.weather.gov.hk/gts/equake/mms_e.htm

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