:European Macroseismic Scale
{{Short description|Earthquake intensity scale}}
The European Macroseismic Scale (EMS) is the basis for evaluation of seismic intensity in European countries and is also used in a number of countries outside Europe. Issued in 1998 as an update of the test version from 1992, the scale is referred to as EMS-98.
Overview
The history of the EMS began in 1988 when the European Seismological Commission (ESC) decided to review and update the Medvedev–Sponheuer–Karnik scale (MSK-64), which was used in its basic form in Europe for almost a quarter of a century. After more than five years of intensive research and development and a four-year testing period, the new scale was officially released. In 1996, the XXV General Assembly of the ESC in Reykjavík passed a resolution recommending the adoption of the new scale by the member countries of the European Seismological Commission.
The European macroseismic scale EMS-98 is the first seismic intensity scale designed to encourage co-operation between engineers and seismologists, rather than being for use by seismologists alone. It comes with a detailed manual, which includes guidelines, illustrations, and application examples.
Unlike the seismic magnitude scales, which express the seismic energy released by an earthquake, EMS-98 intensity denotes how strongly an earthquake affects a specific place. The European macroseismic scale has 12 divisions, as follows:
| style="border:1px solid #DDDDDD; background:#F8F9FA; text-align:left; max-width:1290px;" cellspacing="8" cellpadding="5" |
| style="text-align:left; font-size:140%; background:#FFFFFF; color:#000000; border: 1px solid #777777;" | {{0|IIV}}I. Not felt
| Not felt by anyone. |
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| style="text-align:left; font-size:140%; background:#BFCCFF; color:#000000;" | {{0|IV}}II. Scarcely felt
| Vibration is felt only by individual people at rest in houses, especially on upper floors of buildings. |
| style="text-align:left; font-size:140%; background:#9999FF; color:#000000;" | {{0|V}}III. Weak
| The vibration is weak and is felt indoors by a few people. People at rest feel swaying or light trembling. Noticeable shaking of many objects. |
| style="text-align:left; font-size:140%; background:#80E0FF; color:#000000;" | {{0|II}}IV. Largely observed
| The earthquake is felt indoors by many people, outdoors by few. A few people are awakened. The level of vibration is possibly frightening. Windows, doors and dishes rattle. Hanging objects swing. No damage to buildings. |
| style="text-align:left; font-size:140%; background:#77FF77; color:#000000;" | {{0|III}}V. Strong
| The earthquake is felt indoors by most, outdoors by many. Many sleeping people awake. A few run outdoors. Entire sections of all buildings tremble. Most objects swing considerably. China and glasses clatter together. The vibration is strong. Top-heavy objects topple over. Doors and windows swing open or shut. |
| style="text-align:left; font-size:140%; background:#FFFF00; color:#000000;" | {{0|II}}VI. Slightly damaging
| Felt by everyone indoors and by many to most outdoors. Many people in buildings are frightened and run outdoors. Objects on walls fall. Slight damage to buildings; for example, fine cracks in plaster and small pieces of plaster fall. |
| style="text-align:left; font-size:140%; background:#FFC800; color:#000000;" | {{0|I}}VII. Damaging
| Most people are frightened and run outdoors. Furniture is shifted and many objects fall from shelves. Many buildings suffer slight to moderate damage. Cracks in walls; partial collapse of chimneys. |
| style="text-align:left; font-size:140%; background:#FF9100; color:#000000;" | {{0 |
| Furniture may be overturned. Many to most buildings suffer damage: chimneys fall; large cracks appear in walls and a few buildings may partially collapse. Can be noticed by people driving cars.
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! style="text-align:left; font-size:140%; background:#FF0000; color:#FFFFFF;" | {{0|II}}IX. Destructive
| Monuments and columns fall or are twisted. Many ordinary buildings partially collapse and a few collapse completely. Windows shatter.
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! style="text-align:left; font-size:140%; background:#C80000; color:#FFFFFF;" | {{0|III}}X. Very destructive
| Many buildings collapse. Cracks and landslides can be seen.
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! style="text-align:left; font-size:140%; background:#800000; color:#FFFFFF;" | {{0|II}}XI. Devastating
| Most buildings collapse.
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! style="text-align:left; font-size:140%; background:#400000; color:#FFFFFF; white-space:nowrap;" | {{0|I}}XII. Completely devastating
| Almost all structures are destroyed. The ground changes.
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|colspan="2"|With respect to the full version the given external link should be used.
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See also
External links
- [https://www.gfz-potsdam.de/en/section/seismic-hazard-and-risk-dynamics/data-products-services/ems-98-european-macroseismic-scale Macroseismic Scale (full text in multiple languages)]
{{Seismic scales}}