Earthquakes & tsunamis
Which numbers in earthquake news should not be confused?
Focus, epicentre, magnitude and intensity: understand the terms first.
USGS explains an earthquake as the sudden slip of rock along a fault. Energy travels as seismic waves. The focus is underground; the epicentre is the surface location above it.
Magnitude describes the size of an earthquake. Intensity describes shaking and effects at a particular place. Check the measure and location before comparing reports.