#[1]About.com You are here: [2]About>[3]Education>[4]Geology> [5]Quakes, Volcanoes & Hazards> [6]Earthquakes> [7]Earthquake Magnitudes> MSK Earthquake Intensity Scale [8][education_geology;kw=;site=geology;chan=education;pos=lb;sz=728x90 ;ord=17CDDsK2B20kA1k1b] [9]About.com [10]Geology ____________________ Go [11]Education [12]Geology [13]Essentials [14]What Is Geology?[15]Identify Rocks[16]Rock Pictures[17]Mineral Pictures[18]This Weeks Geo-Quiz: Geologic Time [19]Topics [20]Minerals, Gems & Resources[21]Rocks & Soil[22]Landforms & Features[23]Quakes, Volcanoes & Hazards[24]Geologic Maps[25]Regional Geology[26]Climate, Oceans & Ice[27]Tectonics & Deep Earth[28]Fossils, Time & Evolution[29]Geology and Civilization[30]Careers & Jobs[31]Teach & Learn Geology[32]Other Planets & Space [33]Buyer's Guide [34]Buying 10x Triplet Magnifiers[35]About Starter Rock Collections [36]Tools [37]Find a Job [38]Online Degrees [39]Yellow Pages [40]Forums [41]Most Popular Articles [42]Latest Articles [43]Help MSK64 Seismic Intensity Scale [z.about.com] The Medvedev-Sponheuer-Karnik scale of [44]seismic intensity was widely used in Europe and India starting in 1964. The MSK64 scale is based on typical masonry structures, many of which are very old. MSK64 was revised in 1981 (MSK81) and was superseded by the [45]European Macroseismic Scale in 1998. During those years it was found that some of the behavioral effects in MSK64, such as "panic" and "fright," as well as most of the natural geological effects, were not consistently useful. People's responses to earthquakes depend on many variables besides the actual shaking, and seismic effects on the landscape are even less predictable given the differences in soils, bedrock and structural geology from place to place. Therefore MSK64 ratings of historical earthquakes should be used skeptically; if reliable details on building damage are known, they should outweigh the behavioral and geological evidence. Because it doesn't match up well with modern scales, the MSK scale is not included in the [46]master table of intensity scales. Degree Force Behavioral effects Structural effects Geologic effects I Imperceptible Not felt -- -- II Very light Felt sporadically -- -- III Light Felt only by people at rest -- -- IV Moderate Felt indoors, many awakened Windows vibrate -- V Fairly strong Widely felt outdoors Interior plaster cracks, hanging objects swing, tables shift -- VI Strong Fright Damage to chimneys and masonry Isolated cracks in soft ground VII Very strong Many people flee their dwellings Serious damage to buildings in poor condition, chimneys collapse Isolated landslides on steep slopes VIII Damaging General fright Many old houses undergo partial collapse, breaks in canals Changes in wells, rockfalls onto roads IX Destructive Panic Large breaks in substandard structures, damage to well-constructed houses, underground pipe breakages Cracks in ground, sand eruptions, widespread landslides X Devastating General panic Brick buildings destroyed Rails twisted, landslides on riverbanks, formation of new lakes XI Catastrophic -- Few buildings remain standing, water thrown from canals Widespread ground disturbances, tsunamis XII Very catastrophic -- Surface and underground structures completely destroyed Upheaval of the landscape, tsunamis [47]More earthquake magnitudes [48]More geology-related scales Subscribe to the Newsletter Name ____________ Email ____________ subscribe From [49]Andrew Alden, Your Guide to [50]Geology. FREE Newsletter. [51]Sign Up Now! Related Articles [52]Getting Intense with Earthquakes[53]Who Invented the Seismograph?[54]Did You Feel It?[55]Earthquake Intensity Scales Compared[56]Mercalli Earthquake Intensity Scale Ideas for Family Travel [57]Take a Family Cruise[58]Plan a Trip to Disney World[59]Go on a Family Adventure[60]Popular Vacation Spots[61]Skiing with the Family What's Hot [62]Earthquake Intensities[63]Plate Tectonics in a Nutshell: The Death...[64]Books on Geologic Fieldwork[65]A Day on the Hayward Fault[66]Slump, Panoche Hills, Calif. Advertisement [67][education_geology;kw=;site=geology;chan=education;pos=to;sz=160x6 00;ord=17CDDsK2B20kA1k1b] [68]Newsletters & RSS[69]Email to a friend[70]Print this Page[71]Submit to Digg Most Popular [72]Rock Picture Gallery[73]Rock Identification Tables[74]Mineral Picture Gallery[75]Granite[76]Basalt [77]All Topics | [78]Email Article | [79]Print this Page | [80][xml.gif] | [81][y1.gif] [82]Advertising Info | [83]News & Events | [84]Work at About | [85]SiteMap | [86]Reprints | [87]Help [88]Our Story | [89]Be a Guide [90]User Agreement | [91]Ethics Policy | [92]Patent Info. | [93]Privacy Policy ©2007 About, Inc., A part of [94]The New York Times Company. All rights reserved. References 1. http://z.about.com/0/dc/osrch.htm 2. http://www.about.com/ 3. http://www.about.com/education/ 4. http://geology.about.com/ 5. http://geology.about.com/od/naturalhazardsclimate/ 6. http://geology.about.com/od/earthquakes/ 7. http://geology.about.com/od/quakemags/ 8. http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/abt.education/education_geology;kw=;site=geology;chan=education;pos=lb;sz=728x90;ord=17CDDsK2B20kA1k1b 9. http://www.about.com/ 10. http://geology.about.com/ 11. http://www.about.com/education/ 12. http://geology.about.com/ 13. javascript:mN(1); 14. http://geology.about.com/od/nutshells/a/whatisgeology.htm 15. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/blrockident_tables.htm 16. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/images/blrockindex.htm 17. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/images/blmineralindex.htm 18. http://geology.about.com/od/geotime_dating/a/aa_quiz_time.htm 19. javascript:mN(0); 20. http://geology.about.com/od/mineralsresources/Minerals_Gemstones_and_Mineral_Resources.htm 21. http://geology.about.com/od/rocks/About_Rocks.htm 22. http://geology.about.com/od/structureslandforms/Landforms_and_Structural_Geology.htm 23. http://geology.about.com/od/naturalhazardsclimate/Earthquakes_Volcanoes_and_Other_Natural_Hazards.htm 24. http://geology.about.com/od/maps/Geologic_Maps.htm 25. http://geology.about.com/od/regional_geology/Regional_Geology.htm 26. http://geology.about.com/od/climate_change/Climate_Change_the_Ocean_and_the_Atmosphere.htm 27. http://geology.about.com/od/tectonicsdeepearth/Plate_Tectonics_and_Deep_Earth.htm 28. http://geology.about.com/od/fossilstimeevolution/Fossils_Geologic_Time_and_Evolution.htm 29. http://geology.about.com/od/geologyandculture/Geology_and_Society.htm 30. http://geology.about.com/od/peoplecareers/Geology_Careers_and_Jobs.htm 31. http://geology.about.com/od/activitiesbasics/Teaching_and_Learning_Geology.htm 32. http://geology.about.com/od/airspaceotherplanets/Other_Planets_Space_and_the_Atmosphere.htm 33. javascript:mN(2); 34. http://geology.about.com/library/products/aabyb-magnifiers.htm 35. http://geology.about.com/library/products/aabyb-rockcollections.htm 36. javascript:mN(3); 37. http://clk.about.com?zi=1/1Mw/Vy 38. http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1W8/YV 39. http://clk.about.com?zi=1/1Mu/Vc 40. http://geology.about.com/mpboards.htm 41. http://geology.about.com/popular.htm 42. http://geology.about.com/updated.htm 43. http://geology.about.com/gi/pages/hc.htm 44. http://geology.about.com/library/weekly/aa062898.htm 45. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/blems.htm 46. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/blmagtable.htm 47. http://geology.about.com/od/quakemags/ 48. http://geology.about.com/od/scales/ 49. http://geology.about.com/mbiopage.htm 50. http://geology.about.com/ 51. http://geology.about.com/gi/pages/mmail.htm 52. http://geology.about.com/library/weekly/aa062898.htm 53. http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blseismograph.htm 54. http://geology.about.com/od/quakemags/a/aa121502a.htm 55. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/blmagtable.htm 56. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/blmercalli.htm 57. http://travelwithkids.about.com/cs/cruiseswithkids/a/cruisevacations.htm 58. http://travelwithkids.about.com/cs/disneyworld/a/whenvisitwdw.htm 59. http://travelwithkids.about.com/cs/familyadventures/a/familyadvintro.htm 60. http://travelwithkids.about.com/od/topvacations/tp/top_vacation_spots.htm 61. http://travelwithkids.about.com/od/skiresorts/a/ski_resort_AtoZ.htm 62. http://geology.about.com/od/quakemags/a/quakeintensity.htm 63. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/blnutshell_platedeath.htm 64. http://geology.about.com/od/bookreviews/tp/booksfieldwork.htm 65. http://geology.about.com/od/geophoto_tours/a/haywardfaultour.htm 66. http://geology.about.com/od/naturalhazardsclimate/ig/Landslides/panocheslump500.htm 67. http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/abt.education/education_geology;kw=;site=geology;chan=education;pos=to;sz=160x600;ord=17CDDsK2B20kA1k1b 68. http://geology.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm 69. http://geology.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://geology.about.com/library/bl/blmsk64scale.htm&zItl= 70. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/?p=1 71. javascript:void(zpu('519','http://clk.about.com/?zi=11/1XJ/Yh&bt='+zBT+'&bts='+zBTS+'&ch='+ch+'&sdn='+gs+'&u='+zE(location.href)+'&t='+zE(document.title),'','','dig')) 72. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/images/blrockindex.htm 73. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/blrockident_tables.htm 74. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/images/blmineralindex.htm 75. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/images/blgranite.htm 76. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/images/blbasalt.htm 77. http://geology.about.com/c/a.htm 78. http://geology.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://geology.about.com/library/bl/blmsk64scale.htm&zItl= 79. http://geology.about.com/library/bl/?p=1 80. http://geology.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm#hd 81. http://geology.about.com/gi/pages/stay.htm#hd 82. http://advertise.about.com/ 83. http://advertise.about.com/newspress/index.html 84. http://jobs.about.com/ 85. http://spiderbites.about.com/sitemap.htm 86. http://advertise.about.com/contact/printrequests.html 87. http://geology.about.com/gi/pages/hc.htm 88. http://www.aboutmediakit.com/about/ 89. http://beaguide.about.com/ 90. http://geology.about.com/gi/pages/uagree.htm 91. http://www.about.com/gi/pages/ethics.htm 92. http://www.about.com/gi/pages/patent.htm 93. http://geology.about.com/gi/pages/mprivacy.htm 94. http://www.nytco.com/