"a XX magnitude earthquake" and "a magnitude XX earthquake"

[sunsunmoon]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-international-us-sptre74a61m-20110511,0,371370.story?track=rss
In 1969 a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed 19 people in the southern town of Huelva, according to Spain's National Geographic Institute.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/01/kazakhstan-quake-idUSLDE74000D20110501
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake was recorded in eastern Kazakhstan on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Are both "a XX magnitude earthquake" and "a magnitude XX earthquake" correct?

[BobK]

b

[TheParser]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-international-us-sptre74a61m-20110511,0,371370.story?track=rss
In 1969 a 7.8 magnitude earthquake killed 19 people in the southern town of Huelva, according to Spain's National Geographic Institute.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/01/kazakhstan-quake-idUSLDE74000D20110501
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake was recorded in eastern Kazakhstan on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Are both "a XX magnitude earthquake" and "a magnitude XX earthquake" correct?

NOT A TEACHER


(1) What an interesting question. I had never given this matter

much thought before.

(2) I did some googling, and -- yes -- both ways seem to be

used.

(3) I was able to find a website maintained by the government

of the United States of America. It is called the

National Earthquake Information Center.

(a) It referred to:

the M9.0 Great Tohoku Earthquake, March 11, 2011.

Then later, it referred to it as:

The magnitude 9.0 Tohoku earthquake.


(4) I am a person who likes rules and experts' decisions. It gives

me a feeling of confidence. So if the United States government

uses the word "magnitude" first, then that is what I would do if

I ever had to report an earthquake's magnitude.


Respectfully yours,


James


P.S. Thanks again for your question. I learned something new

today.