Which do you think is the most important measure of earthquakes strength or intensity?

The most important measure of an earthquake's strength is often considered to be the moment magnitude scale (Mw), as it provides a more accurate representation of the earthquake's energy release than the Richter scale. Moment magnitude accounts for factors such as the area of the fault that slipped and the amount of slip, making it applicable to a wider range of earthquake sizes. While intensity measurements, like the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale, assess the effects of an earthquake on people and structures, they are subjective and can vary by location. Therefore, for understanding the actual energy released, moment magnitude is the preferred measure.