Intensity of earthquake is never measured in Richter Scale.

Many times we come across the word, the intensity of earthquake"तीव्रता " accompanied by numbers such as 4.5, 5.0, 6.0. This description is not at par with the definition of intensity. Basically, there are two terms for defining any earthquake, "Magnitude and Intensity". While the former measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake, the latter is the measurement of observed effects of the quake and includes all the damage that comes along with it.

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The intensity of the earthquake is measured in the Mercalli Scale after an Italian volcanologist, Giuseppe Mercalli. The calculation for the Mercalli scale is quantified from the observation of the earthquake's effect on the earth surface. It is also based on the effect on human objects, and man-made structures. Richter scale, on the other hand, is based on the amplitude of waves.

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The linear scale for the Mercalli ranges from I (meaning not felt) to XII, which is the total destruction of the area affected by the quake. On the other hand, values on the Richter scale ranges from 2.0 to 10.0, or higher but never has recorded.

Comparing the two scales, VIII on the Mercalli scale is similar to 6 or 7 on the Richter scale indicating little damage to buildings, similarly XI on the Mercalli scale is analogous to an 8 on the Richter scale, showing massive destruction of building and bridges.

The Mercalli scale is not considered as scientific as the Richter scale because it relies on eyewitness accounts of the loss and destruction caused by the quake. Richter scale is a scientific measurement based on the magnitude of the quake and allows experts to use more accuracy in comparing the strength of quakes.