Richter Scale

A numerical scale for expressing the magnitude of an earthquake on the basis of

seismograph oscillations. The more destructive earthquakes typically have
magnitudes between about 5.5 and 8.9; it is a logarithmic scale and a difference of
one represents an approximate thirtyfold difference in magnitude. Its values
typically fall between 0 and 9, with each increase of 1 representing a 10-fold
increase in energy.

Rossi Forel Scale

The RossiForel scale was one of the first seismic scales to reflect earthquake intensities.
Developed by Michele Stefano de Rossi of Italy and Francois-Alphones Forel of Switzerland in
the late 19th century, it was used for about two decades until the introduction of the Mercalli
Scale Intensity in 1902.
The 1873 version of the RossiForel scale had 10 intensity levels:

I. Microseismic tremor. Recorded by a single seismograph or by seismographs of

the same model, but not by several seismographs of different kinds. The shock felt by an
experienced observer.

II. Extremely feeble tremor. Recorded by several seismographs of different kinds.

Felt by a small number of persons at rest.

III. Feeble tremor. Felt by several persons at rest. Strong enough for the direction or
duration to be appreciable.

IV. Slight tremor. Felt by persons in motion. Disturbance of movable objects, doors,
windows, cracking of ceilings.

V. Moderate tremor. Felt generally by everyone. Disturbance of furniture, ringing of

some bells.

VI. Strong tremor. General awakening of those asleep. General ringing of bells.
Oscillation of chandeliers, stopping of clocks, visible agitation of trees and shrubs. Some
startled persons leaving their dwellings.

VII. Very strong tremor. Overthrow of movable objects, fall of plaster, ringing of
church bells. General panic. Moderate to heavy damage buildings.

VIII. Damaging tremor. Fall of chimneys. Cracks in the walls of buildings.

IX. Devastating tremor. Partial or total destruction of buildings.

X. Extremely high intensity tremor. Great disaster, ruins, disturbance of the

strata, fissures in the ground, rock falls from mountains.

Mercalli Scale

The Mercalli intensity scale is a seismic scale used for measuring the intensity of
an earthquake. It measures the effects of an earthquake, and is distinct from the
moment magnitude
usually reported for an earthquake (sometimes
misreported as the Richter Magnitude), which is a measure of the energy released.
The intensity of an earthquake is not totally determined by its magnitude.
The scale quantifies the effects of an earthquake on the Earth's surface, humans,
objects of nature, and man-made structures on a scale from I (not felt) to XII (total

destruction). Values depend upon the distance to the earthquake, with the highest
intensities being around the epicentral area. Data gathered from people who have
experienced the quake are used to determine an intensity value for their location.
The Mercalli (Intensity) scale originated with the widely used simple ten-degree
Rossi Forel Scale which was revised by Italian volcanologist, Giuseppe Mercalli in
1884 and 1906.