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Earthquakes: What You Feel

Detailed Description

EARTHQUAKES: WHAT YOU FEEL

EARTHQUAKE INTENSITY

An earthquake's intensity (or shaking) refers to how much the ground moves beneath your feet and varies from place to place depending on many factors. It is not the same as magnitude, which is a single value that describes the size of an earthquake.

THINGS THAT CONTROL SHAKING

  • Type of earthquake
  • Depth of earthquake
  • Distance from fault rupture
  • Ground material (soft soil, bedrock, etc.)
  • Building construction (wood, brick, etc.)
  • Your position (car, house, pool, etc.)

Map showing how the intensity of shaking (colored lines) relates to the location of the earthquake (gold star). These "ShakeMaps" are issued for notable earthquakes around the world.

Sources/Usage

Public Domain.

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