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The Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale is a semi-quantitative linear scale developed in 1931 by the American seismologists Harry Wood and Frank Neumann. This scale is composed of 12 increasing levels of intensity, designated by Roman numerals, ranging from imperceptible shaking to catastrophic destruction. It does not have a mathematical basis; instead it is an arbitrary ranking based on observed effects. Intensity measures the strength of shaking produced by the earthquake at a certain location and is determined from effects on people, human structures, and the natural environment.
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