16:15
The strength of the earthquake is estimated to be about 3.7 on the Richter scale:
snaznost potresa je 3,7 na "Richter" skali:
Information obtainted from:
Department of Geophysics, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb
Horvatovac bb
10000 Zagreb
Croatia
Vlado Kuk, M. Sc., Head of Croatian Seismological Survey
Tel. (385) 1 460 5912
Fax (305) 1 468 0331
e-mail: kuk@irb.hr
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Descriptor | Richter Magnitudes | Earthquake Effects | Frequency of Occurrence |
Micro | Less than 2.0 | Microearthquakes, not felt. | About 8,000 per day |
Very minor | 2.0-2.9 | Generally not felt, but recorded. | About 1,000 per day |
Minor | 3.0-3.9 | Often felt, but rarely causes damage. | 49,000 per year (est.) |
Light | 4.0-4.9 | Noticeable shaking of indoor items, rattling noises. Significant damage unlikely. | 6,200 per year (est.) |
Moderate | 5.0-5.9 | Can cause major damage to poorly constructed buildings over small regions. At most slight damage to well-designed buildings. | 800 per year |
Strong | 6.0-6.9 | Can be destructive in areas up to about 100 miles across in populated areas. | 120 per year |
Major | 7.0-7.9 | Can cause serious damage over larger areas. | 18 per year |
Great | 8.0-8.9 | Can cause serious damage in areas several hundred miles across. | 1 per year |
Rare great | 9.0 or greater | Devastating in areas several thousand miles across. | 1 per 20 years |
It was 5 on the Mercalli scale:
Snaznost na "Mercalli" je 5:
degree | tremor | description |
I | instrumental | People do not feel any Earth movement. |
II | lightest | A few people might notice movement if they are at rest and/or on the upper floors of tall buildings. |
III | light | Many people indoors feel movement. Hanging objects swing back and forth. People outdoors might not realize that an earthquake is occurring. |
IV | mediocre | Most people indoors feel movement. Hanging objects swing. Dishes, windows, and doors rattle. The earthquake feels like a heavy truck hitting the walls. A few people outdoors may feel movement. Parked cars rock. |
V | strongly | Almost everyone feels movement. Sleeping people are awakened. Doors swing open or close. Dishes are broken. Pictures on the wall move. Small objects move or are turned over. Trees might shake. Liquids might spill out of open containers. |
VI | much fort | Everyone feels movement. People have trouble walking. Objects fall from shelves. Pictures fall off walls. Furniture moves. Plaster in walls might crack. Trees and bushes shake. Damage is slight in poorly built buildings. No structural damage. |
VII | strong | People have difficulty standing. Drivers feel their cars shaking. Some furniture breaks. Loose bricks fall from buildings. Damage is slight to moderate in well-built buildings; considerable in poorly built buildings. |
VIII | violent | Drivers have trouble steering. Houses that are not bolted down might shift on their foundations. Tall structures such as towers and chimneys might twist and fall. Well-built buildings suffer slight damage. Poorly built structures suffer severe damage. Tree branches break. Hillsides might crack if the ground is wet. Water levels in wells might change. |
IX | disastrous | Well-built buildings suffer considerable damage. Houses that are not bolted down move off their foundations. Some underground pipes are broken. The ground cracks. Reservoirs suffer serious damage. |
X | most disastrous | Most buildings and their foundations are destroyed. Some bridges are destroyed. Dams are seriously damaged. Large landslides occur. Water is thrown on the banks of canals, rivers, lakes. The ground cracks in large areas. Railroad tracks are bent slightly. |
XI | catastrophic | Most buildings collapse. Some bridges are destroyed. Large cracks appear in the ground. Underground pipelines are destroyed. Railroad tracks are badly bent. |
XII | great catastrophe | Almost everything is destroyed. Objects are thrown into the air. The ground moves in waves or ripples. Large amounts of rock may move. |