# European Macroseismic Scale

The European Macroseismic Scale (EMS) is the basis for evaluation of seismic intensity in European countries and is also used in a number of countries outside Europe. Issued in 1998 as an update of the test version from 1992, the scale is referred to as EMS-98.

## Overview

The history of the EMS began in 1988 when the European Seismological Commission (ESC) decided to review and update the Medvedev–Sponheuer–Karnik scale (MSK-64), which was used in its basic form in Europe for almost a quarter of a century. After more than five years of intensive research and development and a four-year testing period, the new scale was officially released. In 1996, the XXV General Assembly of the ESC in Reykjavík passed a resolution recommending the adoption of the new scale by the member countries of the European Seismological Commission.
The European macroseismic scale EMS-98 is the first seismic intensity scale designed to encourage co-operation between engineers and seismologists, rather than being for use by seismologists alone. It comes with a detailed manual, which includes guidelines, illustrations, and application examples.
Unlike the seismic magnitude scales, which express the seismic energy released by an earthquake, EMS-98 intensity denotes how strongly an earthquake affects a specific place. The European macroseismic scale has 12 divisions, as follows:
| IIVI. Not felt | Not felt by anyone. |
| IVII. Scarcely felt | Vibration is felt only by individual people at rest in houses, especially on upper floors of buildings. |
| VIII. Weak | The vibration is weak and is felt indoors by a few people. People at rest feel swaying or light trembling. Noticeable shaking of many objects. |
| IIIV. Largely observed | The earthquake is felt indoors by many people, outdoors by few. A few people are awakened. The level of vibration is possibly frightening. Windows, doors and dishes rattle. Hanging objects swing. No damage to buildings. |
| IIIV. Strong | The earthquake is felt indoors by most, outdoors by many. Many sleeping people awake. A few run outdoors. Entire sections of all buildings tremble. Most objects swing considerably. China and glasses clatter together. The vibration is strong. Top-heavy objects topple over. Doors and windows swing open or shut. |
| IIVI. Slightly damaging | Felt by everyone indoors and by many to most outdoors. Many people in buildings are frightened and run outdoors. Objects on walls fall. Slight damage to buildings; for example, fine cracks in plaster and small pieces of plaster fall. |
| IVII. Damaging | Most people are frightened and run outdoors. Furniture is shifted and many objects fall from shelves. Many buildings suffer slight to moderate damage. Cracks in walls; partial collapse of chimneys. |
| VIII. Heavily damaging | Furniture may be overturned. Many to most buildings suffer damage: chimneys fall; large cracks appear in walls and a few buildings may partially collapse. Can be noticed by people driving cars. |
| IIIX. Destructive | Monuments and columns fall or are twisted. Many ordinary buildings partially collapse and a few collapse completely. Windows shatter. |
| IIIX. Very destructive | Many buildings collapse. Cracks and landslides can be seen. |
| IIXI. Devastating | Most buildings collapse. |
| IXII. Completely devastating | Almost all structures are destroyed. The ground changes. |
| With respect to the full version the given external link should be used. |