which waves causes the most damage during an earthquake
Ground shaking. Shaking of the ground caused by the passage of seismic waves, especially surface waves near the epicentre of the earthquake are responsible for the most damage during an earthquake. The intensity of ground shaking depends on: 1  conditions of the local geology influence evenuts: solid bedrock is far less subject to intense shaking than loose sediment; 2  duration and intensity of the earthquake are subject generally to the size of the earthquake;