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Africa: seismic hazard map

Title in original language
Earthquake risk in Africa: Modified Mercalli Scale
Source
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - Regional Office for Eastern Africa
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This map illustrates earthquake intensity zones in accordance with the 1956 version of the Modified Mercalli Scale (MMS), describing the effects of an earthquake on the surface of the earth and integrating numerous parameters such as ground acceleration, duration of an earthquake, and subsoil effects. In addition, this map includes historical earthquake reports.

The zones indicate where there is a probability of 20 percent that degrees of intensity shown on the map will be exceeded in 50 years. This probability figure varies with time; i.e. it is lower for shorter periods and higher for longer periods.

Islands and countries too small to be easily visible are represented by boxes giving an approximate level of equivalent risk based on data from Munich Reinsurance Company's NATHAN system.

Map data source: UNESCO (1987)through h UNEP-GRID-Geneva, 1994, GAUL 2007, Hazard data from UNEP/GRID, The Pacific Disaster Center (PDC), and Natural Hazard Assessment Network (NATHAN) by the Munich Reinsurance Co.

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Document links last validated on: 16 July 2021

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