Selasa, 28 Agustus 2012

DISCUSSION TEXT

DISCUSSION TEXT

Materi Discussion text ini untuk kelas XII SMA/MA semester ganjil.

Bila anda ingin menyatakan pendapat untuk didiskusikan dengan cara berdebat anda bisa menggunakan Text Discussion. Berikut contoh Text Discussion: Dalam Text Discussion ada bagian – bagian:

1. Issue: Berisi tentang hal atau issue yang akan didiskusikan/diperdebatkan.

2. Arguments: Berisi pernyataan – pernyataan “Pros” (Setuju) dan “Cons” (tidak setuju).

3. Elaboration: Berisi tentang penjelasan atau bukti – bukti untuk mendukung issue tersebut.

4. Conclusion: Berisi tentang kesimpulan sebagai penulis yang mengungkapkan issue tersebut.

Generic Structure:

· Issue

It contains an issue that will be discussed

· Arguments

It contains a statement ‘Pros’ or ‘Cons’ to the issue

· Elaboration

It contains explanation or evidence to support the issue

· Conclusion

It contains a conclusion as the writer proposes to the issue

Purpose: To explore various perspectives before making an informed decision To present information and opinions about more than one side of an issue (‘Pros’ and ‘Cons’ points of view)

THE OWNING OF HANDGUNS: YES OR NO?

The question of owning handguns always raises a lot of discussion in this country. Some people are pros and some are cons. Here are some pros and cons of the topic.

Owning handguns is something important for people living in this country.

It is a very violent country. There are many crazy people out there. There would probably be just as many murders even if we did ban handguns. That is why people should have the right to defend or protect themselves.

On the other hand, some people think it unnecessary for people to have handguns.

They argue why the people have to defend themselves. That is what the police do for. Violence breeds more violence. If people are allowed to have handguns, the murder rate goes up drastically every year.

However, the people still have the right to protect themselves. If someone tries to break into a house – and that happened – they never know what the guy plans to do once he gets inside. That is they need a gun.

Meanwhile, according to the recent surveys show that there are nearly 40,000 people every year who are murdered with handguns. Guns should be outlawed immediately.

Moreover, there is something like 16,000 accidents in homes every year involving handguns. It is not the thieves who get killed. It is mothers, fathers, and kids.

Based on the facts, to sum up, the owning of handguns needs a careful consideration to apply in public and needs more law systems to be changed and upheld the regulation firmly.

- Compiled from Various sources

SOURCE: texasenterprise.utexas.edu

Kamis, 16 Agustus 2012

Rahasia 17 Agustus 1945

RAHASIA 17 AGUSTUS 1945

Tujuh belas Agustus merupakan hari besar kemerdekaan bangsa Indonesia. Pada tanggal tersebut, 67 tahun yang lalu merupakan hari paling bersejarah negeri ini karena di hari itulah merupakan awal dari kebangkitan rakyat Indonesia dalam melawan penjajahan sekaligus penanda awalnya revolusi. Namun, ada beberapa hal menarik seputar hari kemerdekaan negeri kita tercinta ini yang sayang jika belum Anda ketahui.

1. Soekarno Sakit Saat Proklamirkan Kemerdekaan
Pada 17 Agustus 1945 pukul 08.00 (2 jam sblm pembacaan teks Proklamasi), ternyata Bung Karno masih tidur nyenyak di kamarnya, di Jalan Pegangsaan Timur 56, Cikini. Dia terkena gejala malaria tertiana. Suhu badannya tinggi dan sangat lelah setelah begadang bersama para sahabatnya menyusun konsep naskah proklamasi di rumah Laksamana Maeda. Saat itu, tepat di tengah-tengah bulan puasa Ramadhan.

"Pating greges", keluh Bung Karno setelah dibangunkan Dr. Soeharto, dokter kesayangannya. Kemudian darahnya dialiri chinineurethan intramusculair dan menenggak pil brom chinine. Lalu ia tidur lagi. Pukul 09.00, Bung Karno terbangun. Berpakaian rapi putih-putih dan menemui sahabatnya, Bung Hatta.

Tepat pukul 10.00, keduanya memproklamasikan kemerdekaan Indonesia dari serambi rumah. "Demikianlah Saudara-saudara! Kita sekalian telah merdeka!", ujar Bung Karno di hadapan segelintir patriot-patriot sejati. Mereka lalu menyanyikan lagu kebangsaan sambil mengibarkan bendera pusaka Merah Putih. Setelah upacara yang singkat itu, Bung Karno kembali ke kamar tidurnya; masih meriang. Tapi sebuah revolusi telah dimulai.

2. Upacara Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Dibuat Sangat Sederhana
Upacara Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia ternyata berlangsung tanpa protokol, tak ada korps musik, tak ada konduktor, dan tak ada pancaragam. Tiang bendera pun dibuat dari batang bambu secara kasar, serta ditanam hanya beberapa menit menjelang upacara. Tetapi itulah, kenyataan yang yang terjadi pada sebuah upacara sakral yang dinanti-nanti selama lebih dari 300 tahun!

3. Bendera dari Seprai
Bendera Pusaka Sang Merah Putih adalah bendera resmi pertama bagi RI. Tetapi dari apakah bendera sakral itu dibuat? Warna putihnya dari kain sprei tempat tidur dan warna merahnya dari kain tukang soto!

4. Akbar Tanjung Jadi Menteri Pertama “Orang Indonesia Asli”
Setelah merdeka 43 tahun, Indonesia baru memiliki seorang menteri pertama yang benar-benar "orang Indonesia asli". Karena semua menteri sebelumnya lahir sebelum 17 Agustus 1945. Itu berarti, mereka pernah menjadi warga Hindia Belanda dan atau pendudukan Jepang, sebab negara hukum Republik Indonesia memang belum ada saat itu. "Orang Indonesia asli" pertama yang menjadi menteri adalah Ir Akbar Tanjung (lahir di Sibolga, Sumatera Utara, 30 Agustus 1945), sebagai Menteri Negara Pemuda dan Olah Raga pada Kabinet Pembangunan (1988-1993).

5. Kalimantan Dipimpin 3 Kepala Negara
Menurut Proklamasi 17 Agustus 1945, Kalimantan adalah bagian integral wilayah hukum Indonesia. Kenyataannya, pulau tersebut paling unik di dunia. Di pulau tersebut, ada 3 kepala negara yang memerintah! Presiden Soeharto (memerintah 4 wilayah provinsi), PM Mahathir Mohamad (Sabah dan Serawak) serta Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (Brunei).

6. Setting Revolusi di Indonesia Diangkat Ke Film
Ada lagi hubungan erat antara 17 Agustus dan Hollywood. Judul pidato 17 Agustus 1964, "Tahun Vivere Perilocoso" (Tahun yang Penuh Bahaya), telah dijadikan judul sebuah film - dalam bahasa Inggris; "The Year of Living Dangerously". Film tersebut menceritakan pegalaman seorang wartawan Australia yg ditugaskan di Indonesia pada 1960-an, pada detik2 menjelang peristiwa berdarah th 1965. Pada 1984, film yang dibintangi Mel Gibson itu mendapat Oscar untuk kategori film asing!

7. Naskah Asli Proklamasi Ditemukan di Tempat Sampah
Naskah asli teks Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia yang ditulis tangan oleh Bung Karno dan didikte oleh Bung Hatta, ternyata tidak pernah dimiliki dan disimpan oleh Pemerintah! Anehnya, naskah historis tersebut justru disimpan dengan baik oleh wartawan BM Diah. Diah menemukan draft proklamasi itu di keranjang sampah di rumah Laksamana Maeda, 17 Agustus 1945 dini hari, setelah disalin dan diketik oleh Sajuti Melik.Pada 29 Mei 1992, Diah menyerahkan draft tersebut kepada Presiden Soeharto, setelah menyimpannya selama 46 tahun 9 bulan 19 hari.

8. Soekarno Memandikan Penumpang Pesawat dengan Air Seni
Rasa-rasanya di dunia ini, hanya the founding fathers Indonesia yang pernah mandi air seni. Saat pulang dari Dalat (Cipanasnya Saigon), Vietnam, 13 Agustus 1945, Soekarno bersama Bung Hatta, dr Radjiman Wedyodiningrat dan dr Soeharto (dokter pribadi Bung Karno) menumpang pesawat fighter bomber bermotor ganda. Dalam perjalanan, Soekarno ingin sekali buang air kecil, tetapi tak ada tempat. Setelah dipikir, dicari jalan keluarnya untuk hasrat yang tak tertahan itu. Melihat lubang-lubang kecil di dinding pesawat, di situlah Bung Karno melepaskan hajat kecilnya. Karena angin begitu kencang sekali, bersemburlah air seni itu dan membasahi semua penumpang.

9. Negatif Film Foto Kemerdekaan Disimpan Di Bawah Pohon
Berkat kebohongan, peristiwa sakral Proklamasi 17 Agustus 1945 dapat didokumentasikan dan disaksikan oleh kita hingga kini. Saat tentara Jepang ingin merampas negatif foto yang mengabadikan peristiwa penting tersebut, Frans Mendoer, fotografer yang merekam detik-detik proklamasi, berbohong kepada mereka. Dia bilang tak punya negatif itu dan sudah diserahkan kepada Barisan Pelopor, sebuah gerakan perjuangan. Mendengar jawaban itu, Jepang pun marah besar. Padahal negatif film itu ditanam di bawah sebuah pohon di halaman Kantor harian Asia Raja. Setelah Jepang pergi, negatif itu diafdruk dan dipublikasi secara luas hingga bisa dinikmati sampai sekarang. Bagaimana kalau Mendoer bersikap jujur pada Jepang?

10. Bung Hatta Berbohong Demi Proklamasi
Kali ini, Bung Hatta yang berbohong demi proklamasi. Waktu masa revolusi, Bung Karno memerintahkan Bung Hatta untuk meminta bantuan senjata kepada Jawaharlal Nehru. Cara untuk pergi ke India pun dilakukan secara rahasia. Bung Hatta memakai paspor dengan nama "Abdullah, co-pilot". Lalu beliau berangkat dengan pesawat yang dikemudikan Biju Patnaik, seorang industrialis yang kemudian menjadi menteri pada kabinet PM Morarji Desai. Bung Hatta diperlakukan sangat hormat oleh Nehru dan diajak bertemu Mahatma Gandhi.

Nehru adalah kawan lama Hatta sejak 1920-an dan Dandhi mengetahui perjuangan Hatta. Setelah pertemuan, Gandhi diberi tahu oleh Nehru bahwa "Abdullah" itu adalah Mohammad hatta. Apa reaksi Gandhi? Dia marah besar kepada Nehru, karena tidak diberi tahu yang sebenarnya."You are a liar !" ujar tokoh kharismatik itu kepada Nehru.

11. Bendera Merah Putih dan Perayaan Tujuh Belasan Bukan di Indonesia Saja
Bendera Merah Putih dan perayaan tujuh belasan bukanlah monopoli Indonesia. Corak benderanya sama dengan corak bendera Kerajaan Monaco dan hari kemerdekaannya sama dengan hari proklamasi Republik Gabon (sebuah negara di Afrika Barat) yang merdeka 17 Agustus 1960. Selain itu, masih menjadi perdebatan apakah lagu Indonesia Raya benar-benar merp karya asli WR Supratman, ataukah 'terinspirasi' oleh lagu Perancis, "Les Marseilles", yg memiliki nada2 yg sangat mirip.

12. Tidak Ada Nama Jalan Soekarno-Hatta
Jakarta, tempat diproklamasikannya kemerdekaan Indonesia dan kota tempat Bung Karno dan Bung Hatta berjuang, tidak memberi imbalan yang cukup untuk mengenang co-proklamator Indonesia. Sampai detik ini, tidak ada "Jalan Soekarno-Hatta" di ibu kota Jakarta. Bahkan, nama mereka tidak pernah diabadikan untuk sebuah objek bangunan fasilitas umum apa pun sampai 1985, ketika sebuah bandara diresmikan dengan memakai nama mereka.

13. Gelar Proklamator Hanyalah Gelar Lisan
Gelar Proklamator untuk Bung Karno dan Bung Hatta, hanyalah gelar lisan yang diberikan rakyat Indonesia kepadanya selama 41 tahun! Sebab, baru 1986 Permerintah memberikan gelar proklamator secara resmi kepada mereka.

14. Indonesia Mungkin Saja Punya Lebih Dari Dua Proklamator
Kalau saja usul Bung Hatta diterima, tentu Indonesia punya "lebih dari dua" proklamator. Saat setelah konsep naskah Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia rampung disusun di rumah Laksamana Maeda, Jl Imam Bonjol no 1, Jakarta, Bung Hatta mengusulkan semua yang hadir saat rapat dini hari itu ikut menandatangani teks proklamasi yang akan dibacakan pagi harinya. Tetapi usul ditolak oleh Soekarni, seorang pemuda yang hadir. Rapat itu dihadiri Soekarno, Hatta dan calon proklamator yang gagal : Achmad Soebardjo, Soekarni dan Sajuti Melik. "Huh, diberi kesempatan membuat sejarah tidak mau", gerutu Bung Hatta karena usulnya ditolak.

15. Jenderal Soedirman Tidak Pernah Duduki Jabatan Resmi
Panglima Besar Tentara Nasional Indonesia Jenderal Soedirman, pada kenyatannya tidak pernah menduduki jabatan resmi di kabinet RI. Beliau tidak pernah menjadi KSAD, Pangab, bahkan menteri pertahanan sekalipun!

Source:

https://dreamindonesia.wordpress.com/tag/upacara-proklamasi-kemerdekaan-tanpa-protokol/

http://hermawayne.blogspot.com/2010/06/rahasia-17-agustus-1945.html

Gambar foto diambil berbagai sumber dari penelusuran google dan modifikasi

Jumat, 10 Agustus 2012

PROCLAMATION OF INDONESIAN INDEPENDENCE

Proclamation of Indonesian Independence

The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence (Indonesian: Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia, or simply Proklamasi) was read at 10.00 a.m. on Friday, August 17, 1945. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed-resistance of the Indonesian National Revolution, fighting against the forces of the Netherlands until the latter officially acknowledged Indonesia's independence in 1949. In 2005, the Netherlands declared that they had decided to accept 17 August 1945 as Indonesia's independence date.^[1]

Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta, who were appointed President and Vice-president, respectively, were the document's signatories.

Declaration event

Sukarno, accompanied by Mohammad Hatta (right), proclaiming the independence of Indonesia.

The draft was prepared only a few hours earlier, on the night of August 16, by Sukarno, Hatta, and Soebardjo, at Rear-Admiral Maeda (Minoru) Tadashi's house, Miyako-Doori 1, Jakarta (now the "Museum of the Declaration of Independence", JL. Imam Bonjol I, Jakarta). The original Indonesian Declaration of Independence was typed by Sayuti Melik.^[2][3] Maeda himself was sleeping in his room upstairs. He was agreeable to the idea of Indonesia's independence, and had lent his house for the drafting of the declaration. Marshal Terauchi, the highest-ranking Japanese leader in South East Asia and son of Prime Minister Terauchi Masatake, was however against Indonesia's independence, scheduled for August 24.

While the formal preparation of the declaration, and the official independence itself for that matter, had been carefully planned a few months earlier, the actual declaration date was brought forward almost inadvertently as a consequence of the Japanese unconditional surrender to the Allies on August 15 following the Nagasaki atomic bombing. The historic event was triggered by a plot, led by a few more radical youth activists such as Adam Malik and Chairul Saleh, that put pressure on Soekarno and Hatta to proclaim independence immediately. The declaration was to be signed by the 27 members of the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI) symbolically representing the new nation's diversity. The particular act was apparently inspired by a similar spirit of the United States Declaration of Independence. However, the idea was heavily turned down by the radical activists mentioned earlier, arguing that the committee was too closely associated with then soon to be defunct Japanese occupation rule, thus creating a potential credibility issue. Instead, the radical activists demanded that the signatures of six of them were to be put on the document. All parties involved in the historical moment finally agreed on a compromise solution which only included Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta as the co-signers 'in the name of the nation of Indonesia'

Soekarno had initially wanted the declaration to be read at Ikada Plain, the large open field in the centre of Jakarta, but due to unfounded widespread apprehension over the possibility of Japanese sabotage, the venue was changed to Soekarno's house at Pegangsaan Timur 56. In fact there was no concrete evidence for the growing suspicions, as the Japanese had already surrendered to the Allies, The declaration of independence passed without a hitch.

The proclamation at 56, Jalan Pegangsaan Timur, Jakarta, was heard throughout the country because the text was secretly broadcast by Indonesian radio personnel using the transmitters of the JAKARTA Hoso Kyoku radio station. An English translation of the proclamation was broadcasted overseas.

Draft

Indonesian

PROKLAMASI

Kami, bangsa Indonesia, dengan ini menjatakan kemerdekaan Indonesia.

Hal-hal jang mengenai pemindahan kekoeasaan,d.l.l., diselenggarakan dengan tjara saksama dan dalam tempoh jang sesingkat-singkatnja

Djakarta, 17-8-'05

Wakil-wakil Bangsa Indonesia

Amendments

Three amendments were made to the draft, as follows:

"tempoh": changed to "tempo", both meaning "time period".
17-8-05: changed to "hari 17, boelan 8, tahoen 05" ("day 17, month 8, year 05" of the Japanese sumera calendar); the number "05" is the short form for 2605.
"Wakil-Wakil Bangsa Indonesia" (Representatives of the people of Indonesian nation): changed to "Atas nama bangsa Indonesia" ("in the name of the nation of Indonesia").^[4]

Final text

The original Indonesian Declaration of Independence

The monument commemorating the Indonesian Declaration of Independence

PROKLAMASI

Kami, bangsa Indonesia, dengan ini menjatakan kemerdekaan Indonesia.

Hal-hal jang mengenai pemindahan kekoeasaan d.l.l., diselenggarakan dengan tjara saksama dan dalam tempo jang sesingkat-singkatnja.

Djakarta, hari 17 boelan 8 tahoen 05

Atas nama bangsa Indonesia,

Soekarno/Hatta.

English translation

An English translation published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as of October 1948 included the entire speech as read by Sukarno. It incorporated remarks made immediately prior to and after the actual proclamation. George McTurnan Kahin, a historian on Indonesia, believed that they were omitted from publication in Indonesia either due to Japanese control of media outlets or fear of provoking a harsh Japanese response.^[6]

PROCLAMATION

WE THE PEOPLE OF INDONESIA HEREBY DECLARE THE INDEPENDENCE OF
INDONESIA. MATTERS WHICH CONCERN THE TRANSFER OF POWER AND
OTHER THINGS WILL BE EXECUTED BY CAREFUL MEANS AND IN THE
SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME.

DJAKARTA, 17 AUGUST 1945

IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE OF INDONESIA

SOEKARNO—HATTA

References

1. ^ "Dutch govt expresses regrets over killings in RI". Jakarta Post. 2005-08-18. Retrieved 2008-11-23.

2. ^ "Former governor Ali Sadikin, freedom fighter SK Trimurti die". Jakarta Post. 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2008-06-07.

3. ^ Yuliastuti, Dian (2008-05-21). "Freedom Fighter SK Trimurti Dies". Tempo Interactive. Retrieved 2008-06-07.

4. ^ The draft picture

5. ^ Tweet from an Indonesian talkshow

6. ^ Kahin, George McT. (April 2000). "Sukarno's Proclamation of Indonesian Independence". Indonesia (Ithaca, NY: Cornell Modern Indonesia Project) 69 (69): 1–4. doi:10.2307/3351273. JSTOR 3351273. Retrieved 24 June 2009.

Senin, 06 Agustus 2012

Explanation Text

Bila anda ingin menjabarkan suatu karangan atau penulisan secara ilmiah anda bisa menggunakan Text Explanation. Berikut contoh Text Explanation.:

Dalam Text Explanation ada bagian – bagian:

1. A general Statement: Berisi tentang topik apa yang dibicarakan secara umum.

2. A sequenced explanantion of why or how something happens: Berisi tentang penjelasan atau langkah – langkah mengapa dan bagaimana hal itu bisa terjadi secara alami, social dan budaya.

3. Closing: Berisi tentang kesimpulan dari topik yang dibicarakan.

Purpose:

Generic Structure:

: To explain the process involved in the formation and working of natural or socio-cultural phenomena

· A general statement

It contains a topic what will be discussed in general

· A sequenced explanation of why or how something happens

It contains the explanation or steps of why and how the thing can occur naturally, socially, and culturally.

· Closing

It contains the conclusion of the topic discussed

The Richter and Mercalli Scales

Seismologists have devised two scales of measurement to enable them to describe and record information about earthquakes in quantitative terms. The most widely known measurement is the Richter scale, a numerical logarithmic scale developed and introduced by American seismologist Charles R. Richter in 1935.

The purpose of the scale is to measure the amplitude of the largest trace recorded by a standard seismograph one hundred kilometers from the epicenter of an earthquake. Tables have been formulated to demonstrate the magnitude of any earthquake from any seismograph. For example, a one-unit increase in magnitude translates into an increase of times thirty in released energy. To put that another way, each number on the Richter scale represents an earthquake ten times as strong as one of the next lower magnitude. Specifically, an earthquake of magnitude 6 is ten times as strong as an earthquake of magnitude 5.

On the Richter scale, earthquakes of 6.75 are considered great and 7.0 to 7.75 are considered major. An earthquake that reads 4 to 5.5 would be expected to have caused localized damage, and those of magnitude 2 may be felt.

The other earthquake-assessment scale, introduced by the Italian seismologist Guiseppe Mercalli, measures the intensity of shaking, using gradations from 1 to 12. Because the effects of such shaking dissipate with distance from the epicenter of the earthquake, the Mercalli rating depends on the site of the measurement. Earthquakes of Mercalli 2 or 3 are basically the same as those of Richter 3 or 4; measurements of 11 or 12 on the Mercalli scale can be roughly correlated with magnitudes of 8 or 9 on the Richter scale. In either case, the relative power or energy released by the earthquake can be understood, and the population waits to hear how bad the earthquake that just passed really was.

It is estimated that almost one million earthquakes occur each year, but most of them are so minor that they pass undetected. In fact, more than one thousand earthquakes of a magnitude of 2 or lower on the Richter scale occur every day.

(Taken from: Barron’s Educational Series)

Earthquakes: What are the Richter and Mercalli scales?

Each year our planet is rocked by more than 50,000 earthquakes, of which approximately 99% are earthquakes too small to pose a real danger. In contrast, the remaining 1% consists of demonstrations that can be a source of serious harm if they occur in populated places. Did you know that many of the worst earthquakes in history have happened in the last century?, What we will be saying the Earth?. Nothing good, surely.

Most earthquakes do not come to light, or even out of the archives of the seismological center. They are events that go to swell the statistics to shape theories of forecasts of seismic events. However, despite all this information, you can not determine exactly how and when earthquakes will occur. It is one of the great unfinished business of science.
What we can know, more or less certain, is the energy released (Richter scale) and the destructive effects (Mercalli scale) of different possible earthquakes. Come on, we can assess what can be catastrophic but we can not avoid them. Anyway. Let’s see.
Mercalli Scale
Using this index we can determine the potential effects of earthquakes. Low levels of the scale are associated with how people feel the tremor, while higher grades are associated with structural damage.
Level I – Very weak. It is unlikely that a person can detect
Level II – Weak. Perceived by those people who are at rest and / or concentrates, especially on the upper floors of buildings. Hanging objects may swing.
Level III – Slight. It may be noted on the upper floors. At street level would be similar to the vibration that produces a small truck tonnage.
Level IV – Moderate. Would equate to the vibration generated by the passage of heavy trucks. It is noticeable to most. Some objects such as doors or walls may crack slightly. Those who have a very mild sleep may be awakened.
Level V – Somewhat stronger. At this point it really gets ugly. The vibrations are now considering, walking is difficult, falling objects and walls may crack.
Level VI – Strong. This is where you usually start to panic people, where many go into the street and it is difficult sustain standing. There may be structural damage to buildings which are suited to seismic tremors.
Level VII – Very strong. Those poorly designed structures fall to the ground, while good buildings, although damaged, can still stand.
Level VIII – Destructive. The buildings built specifically to withstand earthquakes damaged remarkable. By vibration furniture out of their holes, possible collapse of cities due to the inability to walk and move.
Level IX – ruined. Widespread panic. Buildings designed to withstand severe earthquakes damaged. Some buildings are out of their bases.
Level X – Disastrous. Rails bent, thousands dead. Few buildings remain standing.
Level XI – Very disastrous. Probably no building would be on foot, the area would be devastated. Few survivors.
Level XII – Catastrophic. Total destruction. Probably no survivors. The terrain would change its appearance.
Richter Scale
The Richter scale measures the energy released by an earthquake. To give you a rough idea here are some examples:
The first, those who are below 3 are virtually undetectable from the seismological point of view. In this scale, the earthquake generates an intensity equivalent to that of a conventional bomb or gas explosion. Sounds very appealing, but in reality, apart from hardly noticeable, the effect is minimal.
4 to 5 would be talking about an energy equivalent to the explosion of 200 tons of TNT. The damage would be minimal and the earthquake can be detected by humans.
5 to 6 hard start to feel the effects on building structures. On this scale we might get, for example, the earthquake in El Calvario (Colombia), 2008.
From 6 to 7. On this scale it gets more serious. The effects of an earthquake of this level could cause the destruction of an area of 100 km from the epicenter. The earthquake in Haiti in 2010, is on this scale. The energy released would equate to four times the power of “the Tsar Bomba, the most powerful bomb ever exploded. In total about 200 kilotons.
7 to 8. The energy released in this range would amount to approximately 450 joint blast bombs like Hiroshima. The devastation in the area is full if not have adequate facilities. An earthquake of this type could be the one that devastated Pisco (Peru) in 2007.
8 to 9. Are earthquakes that can destroy areas hundreds of miles. An example would be the recent earthquake in Mexico City 1985. It is clear that a greater extent it depends on what country you are prepared to endure.
From 9 to 10. On this scale we have from the strongest earthquakes which data are available (Valdivia Earthquake, 1960, and Chile 2010) to the impact of a meteorite than 2 km in diameter that impacts to 90000 km / h. In the case of earthquake, if the country is ready, could be arranged, in the case of the meteorite that God we caught confessed.
12 to 13. The energy released in these scales would mean the end of life on earth. Come to mean the planet’s internal breakdown or, for instance, the impact of a meteorite like the one that collided with the Yucatan Peninsula. The energy released would be something like the equivalent of the simultaneous explosion of two million artifacts as “the Tsar Bomba.”
Over 13. At this level the energy released is unknown. It would be similar to the one generated the collision of Earth and Mars.
Source: http://www.visitrockypoint.com/earthquakes-what-are-the-richter-and-mercalli-scales

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