Mercalli
magnitude |
Effects
observed |
| I |
Not felt except by a very few under
especially favourable conditions. |
| II |
Felt only by a few persons at rest,
especially on upper floors of buildings. Delicately suspended objects may
swing. |
| III |
Felt quite noticeably by persons
indoors, especially on the upper floors of buildings. Many do not recognize
it as an earthquake. Standing motor cars may rock slightly. Vibration similar
to the passing of a truck. Duration estimated. |
| 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. |
| V |
Felt by nearly everyone; many awakened.
Some dishes and windows broken. Unstable objects overturned. Pendulum clocks
may stop. |
| VI |
Felt by all; many frightened and
run outdoors, walk unsteadily. Windows, dishes, glassware broken, books
off shelves, some heavy furniture moved or overturned; a few instances
of fallen plaster. Damage slight. |
| VII |
Difficult to stand. Furniture broken.
Damage negligible in building 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. Noticed by persons
driving motor cars. |
| VIII |
Damage slight in specially designed
structures; considerable in ordinary substantial buildings with partial
collapse. Damage great in poorly built structures. Fall of chimneys, factory
stacks, columns, monuments, walls. Heavy furniture moved. |
| IX |
General panic... Damage considerable
in specially designed structures, well designed frame structures thrown
out of plumb. Damage great even in substantial buildings, with partial
collapse. Buildings shifted off foundations. |
| X |
Some well built wooden structures
destroyed; most masonite and frame structures destroyed with foundations.
Rails bent. |
| XI |
Few, if any (masonite) structures
remain standing. Bridges destroyed. Rails bent greatly. |
| XII |
Damage total. Lines of sight and
level distorted. Objects thrown into the air. |
