Earthquake Information
Earthquake Preparedness
Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale of 1931
(Adapted from Sieberg's Mercalli—Cancani scale, modified and condensed)
I. Not felt -- or, except under especially favorable circumstances.
Under certain conditions, at and outside the boundary of the area in which a great shock is felt:
- Sometimes birds, animals, reported uneasy and disturbed;
- Sometimes dizziness or nausea experienced;
- Sometimes trees, structures, liquids, bodies of water, may sway; doors may swing, very slowly.
II. Felt indoors by few, especially on upper floors, or by sensitive or nervous persons.
Also, as in grade I, but often more noticeably:
- Sometimes hanging objects may swing, especially when delicately suspended;
- Sometimes trees, structures, liquids, bodies of water, may sway, doors may swing, very slowly;
- Sometimes birds, animals, reported uneasy and disturbed;
- Sometimes dizziness or nausea experienced.
III. Felt indoors by several, motion usually rapid vibration.
- Sometimes not recognized to be an earthquake at first.
- Duration estimated in some cases.
- Vibration like that due to the passing of light or lightly loaded trucks or heavy trucks some distance away.
- Hanging objects may swing slightly.
- Movements may be appreciable on upper levels of tall structures.
- Rocked standing motor cars slightly.
IV. Felt indoors by many, outdoors by few.
- Awakened few, especially light sleepers.
- Frightened no one, unless apprehensive from previous experience.
- Vibration like that due to the passing of heavy or heavily loaded trucks.
- Sensation like heavy body striking building or falling of heavy objects inside.
- Rattling of dishes, windows, doors; glassware and crockery clink and clash.
- Creaking of walls, frame, especially in the upper range of this grade.
- Hanging objects swung, in numerous instances.
- Slightly disturbed liquids in open vessels. Rocked standing motor cars noticeably.
V. Felt indoors by practically all, outdoors by many or most: outdoors direction estimated.
- Awakened many, or most.
- Frightened few, -- slight excitement, a few ran outdoors.
- Buildings trembled throughout.
- Broke dishes, glassware, to some extent.
- Cracked windows -- in some cases, but not generally.
- Overturned vases, small or unstable objects, in many instances, with occasional fall.
- Hanging objects, doors, swing generally or considerably.
- Knocked pictures against walls, or swung them out of place.
- Opened, or closed, doors, shutters, abruptly. Pendulum clocks stopped, started, or ran fast, or slow.
- Moved small objects, furnishings, the latter to slight extent.
- Spilled liquids in small amounts from well-filled open containers.
- Trees, bushes, shaken slightly.
VI. Felt by all, indoors and outdoors.
- Awakened all.
- Frightened many excitement general, some alarm, many ran outdoors.
- Persons made to move unsteadily.
- Trees, bushes, shaken slightly to moderately.
- Liquid set in strong motion.
- Small bells rang -- church, chapel, school, etc.
- Damage slight in poorly built buildings.
- Fall of plaster in small amount.
- Cracked plaster somewhat, especially fine cracks; chimneys in some instances.
- Broke dishes, fall of knick-knacks, books, pictures.
- Overturned furniture in many instances.
- Moved furnishings of moderately heavy kind.
VII. Frightened all -- general alarm, all ran outdoors.
- Some, or many, found it difficult to stand.
- Noticed by persons driving motor cars.
- Trees and bushes shaken moderately to strongly.
- Waves on ponds, lakes, and running water.
- Water turbid from mud stirred up.
- Incaving to some extent of sand or gravel stream banks.
- Rang large church bells, etc.
- Suspended objects made to quiver.
- Damage negligible in buildings of good design and construction, slight to moderate in well-built ordinary buildings, considerable in poorly built or badly designed buildings, adobe houses, old walls (especially where laid up without mortar), spires, etc.
- Cracked chimneys to considerable extent, walls to some extent.
- Fall of plaster in considerable to large amount, also some stucco.
- Broke numerous windows, furniture to some extent.
- Shook down loosened brickwork and tiles.
- Broke weak chimneys at the roof-line (sometimes damaging roofs).
- Fall of cornices from towers and high buildings.
- Dislodged bricks and stones.
- Overturned heavy furniture, with damage from breaking.
- Damage considerable to concrete irrigation ditches.
VIII. Fright general — alarm approaches panic.
- Disturbed persons driving motor cars.
- Trees shaken strongly — branches, trunks, broken off, especially palm trees.
- Ejected sand and mud in small amounts.
- Changes: temporary, permanent; in flow of springs and wells; dry wells renewed flow; in temperature of spring and well waters.
- Damage slight in structures (brick) built especially to withstand earthquakes.
- Considerable in ordinary substantial buildings, partial collapse: racked, tumbled down, wooden houses in some cases; threw out panel walls in frame structures, broke off decayed piling.
- Fall of walls.
- Cracked, broke, solid stone walls seriously.
- Wet ground to some extent, also ground on steep slopes.
- Twisting, fall, of chimneys, columns, monuments, also factory stacks, towers.
- Moved conspicuously, overturned, very heavy furniture.
IX. Panic general.
- Cracked ground conspicuously.
- Damage considerable in (masonry) structures built especially to withstand earthquakes;
- threw out of plumb some wood-frame houses built especially to withstand earthquakes;
- great in substantial (masonry) buildings, some collapse in large part; or wholly shifted frame buildings off foundations, racked frames;
- serious to reservoirs; underground pipes sometimes broken.
X. Cracked ground, especially when loose and wet, up to widths of several inches; fissures up to a yard in width ran parallel to canal and stream banks.
- Landslides considerable from river banks and steep coasts.
- Shifted sand and mud horizontally on beaches and flat land.
- Changed level of water in wells.
- Threw water on banks of canals, lakes, rivers, etc.
- Serious damage to dams, dikes, embankments.
- Severe to well-built wooden structures and bridges, some destroyed.
- Developed dangerous cracks in excellent brick walls.
- Destroyed most masonry and frame structures, also their foundations.
- Bent railroad rails slightly.
- Tore apart, or crushed endwise, pipe lines buried in earth.
- Open cracks and broad wavy folds in cement pavements and asphalt road surfaces.
XI. Disturbances in ground many and widespread, varying with ground material.
- Broad fissures, earth slumps, and land slips in soft, wet ground.
- Ejected water in large amount charged with sand and mud.
- Caused sea-waves ("tidal" waves) of significant magnitude.
- Damage severe to wood-frame structures, especially near shock centers.
- Great to dams, dikes, embankments, often for long distances.
- Few, if any (masonry), structures remained standing.
- Destroyed large well-built bridges by the wrecking of supporting piers, or pillars.
- Affected yielding wooden bridges less.
- Bent railroad rails greatly, and thrust them endwise.
- Put pipe lines buried in earth completely out of service.
XII. Damage total -- practically all works of construction damaged greatly or destroyed.
- Disturbances in ground great and varied, numerous shearing cracks.
- Landslides, falls of rock of significant character, slumping of river banks, etc., numerous and extensive.
- Wrenched loose, tore off, large rock masses.
- Fault slips in firm rock, with notable horizontal and vertical offset displacements.
- Water channels, surface and underground, disturbed and modified greatly.
- Dammed lakes, produced waterfalls, deflected rivers, etc.
- Waves seen on ground surfaces (actually seen, probably, in some cases).
- Distorted lines of sight and level.
- Threw objects upward into the air.