| Intensity |
Witness Perceptions and Damage |
| I |
Felt by very few people; barely noticeable. |
| II |
Felt by a few people, especially on upper floors. |
| III |
Noticeable indoors, especially on upper floors, but may not be recognized as an earthquake. |
| IV |
Felt by many indoors, few outdoors. May feel like heavy truck passing by. |
| V |
Felt by almost everyone, some people awakened. Small objects moved. Trees and poles
may shake. |
| VI |
Felt by everyone. Difficult to stand. Some heavy furniture moved, some plaster falls.
Chimneys may be slightly damaged. |
| VII |
Slight to moderate damage in well built, ordinary structures. Considerable damage
to poorly built structures. Some walls may fall. |
| VIII |
Little damage in specially built structures. Considerable damage to ordinary buildings,
severe damage to poorly built structures. Some walls collapse. |
| IX |
Considerable damage to specially built structures, buildings shifted off foundations.
Ground cracked noticeably. Wholesale destruction. Landslides. |
| X |
Most masonry and frame structures and their foundations destroyed. Ground badly cracked.
Landslides. Wholesale destruction. |
| XI |
Total damage. Few, if any, structures standing. Bridges destroyed. Wide cracks in
ground. Waves seen on ground. |
| XII |
Total damage. Waves seen on ground. Objects thrown up into air. |
What Are Earthquake Hazards?
