Q&A

What was the intensity of the Haiti earthquake on the Mercalli scale?

What was the intensity of the Haiti earthquake on the Mercalli scale?

The Haiti earthquake measured severe intensities VII to IX on the Modified Mercalli scale (a scale for measuring earthquake intensity), and mortality was very high, with 222,517 fatalities (UNOCHA, 2010).

Was the Haiti earthquake a transform fault?

The fault that caused Tuesday’s quake is a “strike-slip” fault — the same type as the San Andreas Fault in California — which means that the plates are sliding horizontally past one another, rather than one slipping under the other.

What does the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale measure?

The Modified Mercalli scale measures the earthquake’s effect on people, property and ground damage. Roman numerals are used to rate the intensity and damage. Damage is usually lessened with distance from the earthquake’s epicenter.

Is Jamaica on a fault line?

Jamaica itself is traversed by a number of geological faults that feature Quaternary left-lateral offsets. In eastern Jamaica there is the Plantain Garden fault that runs into the Yallahs, Blue Mountain, Wagwater and Silver Hill faults, which together control the tectonics of the Blue Mountain block.

What is the difference between Richter scale and Mercalli scale?

While the Mercalli scale describes the intensity of an earthquake based on its observed effects, the Richter scale describes the earthquake’s magnitude by measuring the seismic waves that cause the earthquake.

What was the Modified Mercalli scale reading for Haiti?

The Modified Mercalli Scale reading was an intensity of VIII or 8.0. The diagram below shows the levels of earthquakes on the Richter Scale and the Modified Mercalli Scale . The Haiti earthquake reading on the Richter Scale was 7 which is high and the Modified Mercalli Scale reading was VIII which is severe. Who was affected?

What was the intensity of the Haiti earthquake?

The Modified Mercalli Scale reading was an intensity of VIII or 8.0. The diagram below shows the levels of earthquakes on the Richter Scale and the Modified Mercalli Scale .

What is the Modified Mercalli scale for earthquakes?

Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale This is a semi-quantitative scale used to evaluate ground shaking and damage. This scale is composed of 12 increasing levels of intensity based on observed effects. These range from imperceptible shaking to catastrophic destruction, designated by Roman numerals.

What was the Richter scale reading in Haiti?

The Haiti earthquake reading on the Richter Scale was 7 which is high and the Modified Mercalli Scale reading was VIII which is severe. Who was affected? Over 230,000 people were killed in the earthquake.