The
Mercalli intensity scale is a
seismic scale used for measuring the intensity of an
earthquake. It measures the
effects of an earthquake, and is distinct from the
moment magnitude usually reported for an earthquake (sometimes misreported as the
Richter magnitude), which is a measure of the
energy released. The intensity of an earthquake is not entirely determined by its magnitude. It is not based on first physical principles, but is, instead, empirically based on observed effects.