Taiwan sits on shaky ground. Every year, there are earthquakes here, both big and small. In addition to measuring the size of earthquakes with the usual magnitude scale, Taiwan also has a scale of its own used to measure shaking intensity. Come January 1, this scale is set to get a big overhaul.
In the moments after an earthquake hits Taiwan, people flood the internet with searches for how powerful the shaking was. They often get two answers- the earthquake’s magnitude, familiar to people around the world, and also the earthquake’s local intensity.
News reports will list affected areas and give each a number from one to seven based on how intensely the ground shook there. It’s used by the Central Weather Bureau and found only in Taiwan. Crudely speaking, you’ll feel a three and worry about a four or five. Anything bigger than that, and you might find yourself in big trouble.
But the scale isn’t perfect. For instance, five and six on the scale are both much broader than the other intensities, and so calling an earthquake a five or a six doesn’t really tell people much. The director of the Central Weather Bureau’s Seismological Center, Chen Kuo-chang, says that fives can be a disaster, but often aren’t.
To remedy this problem, the Central Weather Bureau will roll out a revamped version of the scale on January 1. Levels five and six will be split in half- there will be five weak, five strong, six weak, and six strong. With the new system, alerts and reports can more accurately convey how big an earthquake is. Hopefully, the new categories won’t have to be used that often.