Practical research on quantitative calculation of debris flow magnitude and disaster intensity

Wind scale or earthquake magnitude is easier to remember and to be understood by the community. Although many systems of classifying debris flows are presently available, it is necessary to propose an index as simple as wind scale or earthquake magnitude for measuring debris flows. Based on the principles used in wind scale and earthquake magnitude calculation, this paper presents the concepts of debris flow magnitude and disaster intensity as well as a new numerical calculation method. Debris flow magnitude is a quantitative index describing the scale of a debris flow. The disaster intensity of a debris flow is a quantitative index describing the severity of the damage to society caused by a debris flow. With their explicit definitions and simple concepts, both indices are considered to be important both practically and theoretically.