From magnitude and intensity to aftershocks, liquefaction, and tsunamis โ ten official terms for reading earthquake news accurately.
Earthquake bulletins throw out magnitude, intensity, epicenter, and depth all at once. Magnitude is a single number for the energy released, while intensity is how the shaking actually felt in a given place โ mixing the two up makes it easy to misjudge local damage from one headline number. This list covers ten terms: magnitude, intensity, hypocenter, and epicenter, then aftershocks, faults, seismic design, liquefaction, long-period ground motion, and tsunamis.
Each entry includes the context it usually appears in and a common misunderstanding to watch for. For intensity readings in Korea, treat official weather agency reports as the reference point, and check whether an overseas rating scale actually matches before comparing it directly. Knowing these terms doesn't let anyone personally predict the timing of the next quake or aftershock, or judge a specific building's safety. This list reflects an August 2026 snapshot โ always defer to official agency announcements in an actual event.
