SID - Short description of the MSK - 64 macroseismic scale

Short description of the MSK-64 macroseismic scale

Intensity	Description of effects
I.	Not felt, registered only instrumentally.
II.	Felt only by sensitive people at rest, especially on upper floors of buildings.
III.	Felt by some persons indoors, outdoors just a few. Vibrations similar to the passing of a light truck. Hanging objects might swing.
IV.	Can be felt outdoors, some sleepers wakened. Vibrations similar to the passing of a heavy truck. Windows, doors and dishes rattle, hanging objects swing.
V.	Felt even by many people outdoors, buildings are shaken, small objects are displaced, pendulum clocks stop, doors and windows close and open.
VI.	Felt by most people indoors as well as outdoors, many frightened and run outdoors, people walk unsteadily. Even heavy furniture is displaced, bells ring, weak plaster cracked.
VII.	Felt by drivers of motor cars. Cracks in walls appear, considerable damage in badly designed buildings, waves on ponds.
VIII.	People are frightened, damage considerable in most buildings, fall of walls, cracks in ground appear.
IX.	General panic. Cracks even in well-designed buildings, other buldings considerably damaged and partly collapsing, rails might be bent.
X.	Heavy damage in specially designed constructions, most other buildings destroyed, damaged dams, bridges, railways and pipelines.
XI.	General disaster. All buildings heavily damaged, large landslides and rockfalls.
XII.	Damage total. Lines of sight and level distorted. Practically all buldings heavily damaged or destroyed. Lateral and vertical displacements observed along large cracks.