EARTHQUAKE

PHILIPPINES
Earthquakes happen in
the Philippines every
now and then, agencies
such as PHILVOCS are
very helpful.

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 Seismologist is a
Seismology is the scientist who study
science dealing earthquakes.
with earthquake
waves. Studying
earthquake waves
can provide
information about
Earth’s interior.
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 Seismologists make use of SEISMOGRAPHS
to record earthquake waves. The record
generated are SEISMOGRAMS.
Through
SEISMOGRAM
S scientist learn
that seismic
waves possess
elastic energy,
radiating
outward from 4
 Two types of Seismic Waves

Surface Body
Waves Waves

Those that travel Those that

travel through
through the the interior
outer layer of layer of Earth.
Earth. 5
Body Waves can be classified as:
1. PRIMARY WAVES (P wave)
Also called as push-pull waves
because they compress and
expand rocks in the direction of
the wave.

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Body Waves can be classified as:
2. SECONDARY WAVES (S wave)
This kind of wave shakes
rock perpendicular to their
direction.

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 Strongest earthquake that hit the
Philippines

September 20 and 21, 1897 the earthquake occurred

between Sulu and Basilan (Celebes Sea) with a
magnitude 8.6 and 8.7 and took place on the same
location.

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 2nd Strongest earthquake that hit the
Philippines

July 16, 1990 in Baguio City. One of the most

devastating earthquakes with magnitude 7.7 and
lasted 45 seconds.

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Belfry of St. John Cathedral Christian College Of The Philippines
(Dagupan) (Cabanatuan)
The quake also left major destruction in
Cabanatuan City and Dagupan City
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 In the news reports, there are
two words that are often used:
(1) Magnitude and (2)
Intensity. Both can measure
the size of an earthquake, but
Place your screenshot here
they cannot be used
interchangeably. Both
measure a different
characteristic of an
earthquake.

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MAGNITU
DE

Measures the amount of energy

released at the source of an earthquake.
Seismographs are used to determine
the magnitude of an earthquake.

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INTENSIT
Y

Measures how strong the shaking

generated by the earthquake is at a
particular location.

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In 1902, Guiseppe Mercalli
developed and intensity scale to
describe the size of an
earthquake. In the Philippines,
PHIVOLCS uses PHIVOLCS
Earthquake Intensity Scale
(PEIS) and adapts the Rossi
Forel intensity scale (RFIS).

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Abbreviated Modified
Intensity Scale

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The values used in the intensity scale are written in Roman
numerals.

Not felt except by a very few under especially favorable

I
conditions.
Felt only by a few persons at rest, especially on upper
II
floors of buildings.

Felt quite noticeably by persons indoors, especially on

III upper floors of buildings. Vibrations similar to passing
of a truck. Duration estimated.

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 Felt indoors by many, outdoors by few during the day.
At night, some awakened. Sensation like heavy truck
IV
striking building. Standing motor cars rocked noticeably.

Felt by nearly everyone; many awakened. Some dishes,

V windows broken. Unstable objects overturned.
Pendulum clocks may stop.
Felt by all, many frightened. Some heavy furniture
VI
moved; a few instances of fallen plaster. Damage slight.

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 Damage negligible in buildings of good design and
construction; slight to moderate in well built ordinary
VII
structures; considerable damage in poorly built or badly
designed structures.
Damage slight in specially designed structures;
considerable damage in ordinary buildings. Damage
VIII
great in poorly built structures. Heavy furniture
overturned.
Damage considerable in specially designed structures.
IX Damage great in substantial buildings, with partial
collapse. Buildings shifted off foundation.

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 Some well-built wooden structures destroyed; most
X masonry and frame structures destroyed with foundation.
Rails bent.
Few, if any (masonry) structures remain standing.
XI
Bridges destroyed. Rails bent greatly.

Damage total. Lines of sight and level are distorted.

XII
Objects thrown into the air.

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PHIVOLCS Earthquake
Intensity Scale (PEIS)

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 Scarcely Perceptible - Perceptible to people under
favorable circumstances. Delicately balanced objects are
I
disturbed slightly. Still Water in containers oscillates
slowly.
Slightly Felt - Felt by few individuals at rest indoors.
II Hanging objects swing slightly. Still Water in containers
oscillates noticeably.
Weak - Felt by many people indoors especially in upper
floors of buildings. Dizziness and nausea are
III experienced by some people. Hanging objects swing
moderately. Still water in containers oscillates
moderately.
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 Moderately Strong - Felt generally by people indoors and
by some people outdoors. Light sleepers are awakened.
IV Hanging objects swing considerably. Liquids in containers
are slightly disturbed. Water in containers oscillate
strongly. Rumbling sound may sometimes be heard.
Strong - Generally felt by most people indoors and
outdoors. Many sleeping people are awakened. Strong
V shaking and rocking felt throughout building. Liquids spill
from filled open containers. Shaking of leaves and twigs of
trees are noticeable.
Very Strong - Many people are frightened; many run outdoors.
Some people lose their balance. motorists feel like driving in flat
VI tires. Very old or poorly built houses and man-made structures
are slightly damaged though well-built structures are not
affected. 24
 Destructive - Most people are frightened and run outdoors.
People find it difficult to stand in upper floors. Trees are
VII shaken strongly. (Liquefaction is a process by which loose
saturated sand lose strength during an earthquake and behave
like liquid).
Very Destructive - People are panicky. People find it difficult
to stand even outdoors. Many well-built buildings are
considerably damaged. Numerous landslides and rockfalls
VIII occur in mountainous and hilly areas. Boulders are thrown out
from their positions particularly near the epicenter. Fissures
and faults rapture may be observed
Devastating - People are forcibly thrown to ground. Many
cry and shake with fear. Trees are shaken very violently with
IX some toppled or broken. Boulders are commonly thrown out.
River water splashes violently on slops over dikes and banks.
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Rossi Forel Intensity Scale

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 Hardly Perceptible Shock – Felt only by an experience
I
observer under favorable conditions.

Extremely Feeble Shock – Felt by a small number of

II
persons at rest.
Very Feeble Shock – Felt by several persons at rest.
Duration and direction may be perceptible. Sometimes
III
dizziness or nausea experienced.

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 Feeble shock – Felt generally indoors, outdoors by few.
IV Hanging objects swing slightly. Sometimes dizziness or
nausea experienced.
Shock Of Moderate Intensity – Felt generally by
V everyone. Hanging objects swing freely. Overturning of
tall vases and unstable objects.
Fairly Strong Shock – General awakening of those
VI asleep. Some frightened persons leave their houses.
Slight damage to very old and poorly built structures.

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 Strong Shock – Overturning of movable objects.
VII General alarm, all run outdoors. Some landslides from
hills and steep banks. Cranks in road surface.
Very Strong Shock – People panicky. Trees shaken
VIII strongly. Changes in the flow of springs and wells. Small
landslides.
Extremely Strong Shock – Panic general. Partial or
IX total destruction of some buildings. Fissures in gound.
Landslides and rockfalls.

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Based on the adapted version of the
Rossi Forel scale, the earthquake that
happened on July 1990 in Baguio,
Dagupan and Cabanatuan was at
intensity VIII. On the other hand, the
Bohol earthquake 2013 was at
intensity VII, base on the PEIS.

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In 1935, seismologists Charles Richter
and Beno Gutenberg of California
Institute of Technology developed the
first magnitude scale that is still
adopted worldwide today.

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THE RITCHER SCALE

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MAGNITUD DESCRIPTIO
WHAT IT FEELS LIKE FREQUENCY
E N
Normally, only recorded by
Less than 2.0 Micro seismographs. Most people Millions per year
cannot feel them.
A few people feel them. No Over one million
2.0 – 2.9 Minor
building damage per year
Some people feel them.
Over a 100 000
3.0 – 3.9 Minor Objects inside can be seen
per year
shaking.
Most feel it. Indoor objects 10 000 to 15 000
4.0 – 4.9 Light
shake or fall to the floor. per year

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MAGNITUD DESCRIPTIO
WHAT IT FEELS LIKE FREQUENCY
E N
Can damage or destroy
buildings not designed to 1 000 to 1 500 per
5.0 – 5.9 Moderate
withstand earthquakes. year
Everyone feels it.
Widespread shaking far from
6.0 - 6.9 Strong 100 – 150 per year
epicenter. Damages buildings
Widespread damage in most
7.0 – 7.9 Major 10 – 20 per year
areas.
Severe damage to most About one per
8.0 – 8.9 Great
buildings year

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MAGNITUD DESCRIPTIO
WHAT IT FEELS LIKE FREQUENCY
E N
Severe damages to most One per five to 50
9.0 – 9.9 Great
buildings years

10.0 or over Massive Never recorded Never recorded

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The table proves that there are
many earthquakes happening
every now and then. But
because some earthquakes have
small magnitudes, you cannot
feel them.

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Magnitude and intensity
comparison

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 TYPICAL MAXIMUM MODIFIED
MAGNITUDE
MERCALLI INTENSITY
1.0 – 3.0 I
3.0 – 3.9 II – III
4.0 – 4.9 IV - V
5.0 – 5.9 VI – VII
6.0 – 6.9 VII – IX
7.0 and higher VIII or higher

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 Another term related to
earthquake is
aftershock
smaller earthquakes that follow a
large earthquake.

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 If the aftershock is stronger than
the previous earthquake, it will be
renamed as
foreshack.

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Thank you for listening!

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