How can earthquake with a moderate magnitude have a high intensity?

Answer 1

The location of the earthquake's epicentre in relation to centres of population is important. A high magnitude earthquake that occurs far from a populated area will do less damage than a lower magnitude earthquake in very close proximity to a populated area.

Secondly, ground motion and the amplitude of seismic waves is strongly dependent on the medium through which they travel. Seismic waves in hard rock masses (e.g. granite) have lower amplitudes than those that travel through soft ground such as sediments and so a building constructed and founded on hard rock is less likely to be damaged. As such a lower magnitude earthquake affecting structures founded on softer sediments may ultimately cause more damage than a higher magnitude earthquake affecting structures founded on hard rock.

Further to this, sediments tend to undergo a process known as liquefaction during earthquakes which makes them behave as a liquid rather than a solid meaning they are very poor at supporting the load imposed by the building (they lose the majority of their bearing capacity) making it even more probable that the building will be damaged.

The construction techniques employed in the area and the enforcement of applicable construction codes or standards will affect how destructive an earthquake is (earthquake resistant designs will obviously reduce the damage caused by seismic waves, on the other hand, in countries or areas where poor building practices are followed - e.g. insufficient steel reinforcement in concrete, the use of cheap or poorly sourced aggregates which reduce the strength of concrete or the construction on poor founding materials without the requisite foundation engineering will all act to increase the damage caused by earthquakes).

Answer 2

Not so actually. Perhaps you mean frequency for your last word?

If so, large earthquakes occur less often because they represent a larger amount of energy released. And demonstrably, many earthquakes are able to take place when the locking mechanism is of lower strength.

Answer 3

The location of the earthquake's epicentre in relation to centres of population is important. A high magnitude earthquake that occurs far from a populated area will do less damage than a lower magnitude earthquake in very close proximity to a populated area.

Secondly, ground motion and the amplitude of seismic waves is strongly dependent on the medium through which they travel. Seismic waves in hard rock masses (e.g. granite) have lower amplitudes than those that travel through soft ground such as sediments and so a building constructed and founded on hard rock is less likely to be damaged. As such a lower magnitude earthquake affecting structures founded on softer sediments may ultimately cause more damage than a higher magnitude earthquake affecting structures founded on hard rock.

Further to this, sediments tend to undergo a process known as liquefaction during earthquakes which makes them behave as a liquid rather than a solid meaning they are very poor at supporting the load imposed by the building (they lose the majority of their bearing capacity) making it even more probable that the building will be damaged.

The construction techniques employed in the area and the enforcement of applicable construction codes or standards will affect how destructive an earthquake is (earthquake resistant designs will obviously reduce the damage caused by seismic waves, on the other hand, in countries or areas where poor building practices are followed - e.g. insufficient steel reinforcement in concrete, the use of cheap or poorly sourced aggregates which reduce the strength of concrete or the construction on poor founding materials without the requisite foundation engineering will all act to increase the damage caused by earthquakes).

Answer 4

because many things can affect the intensity of an earthquake and it converts into one magnitude.

Answer 5

if its really deep

can any one find a better answer

Answer 6

You are stuoid thats the answer LOL:)