Epicenter |
| The point on the surface directly above the focus of an earthquake (that may be up to 400 km deep). Most damage is caused to buildings close to the epicenter. |
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Note: the actual damage to buildings is caused by accelerations, and depends on the construction and materials used, as much as the magnitude of the quake on the Richter scale and the distance from the epicenter.  Click the image to see the damage to the mud citadel in Bam Iran; 2002. |