As a seismologist with a focus on the study of seismic waves and their effects on the Earth's surface, I can provide an informed answer to your question. Among the various types of seismic waves, surface waves are known to be the most destructive. This is because they travel along the Earth's surface and can cause significant damage to structures and the landscape. There are two main types of surface waves: Rayleigh waves and Love waves. Rayleigh waves, which are also referred to as ground roll, move in a ripple-like motion similar to the way water moves when disturbed. They can cause the ground to both rise and fall as well as to roll side to side, leading to substantial structural damage. Love waves, on the other hand, cause horizontal shearing motion, which can also be highly destructive, particularly in areas with soft soil that can amplify the wave's effects. While S-waves are faster and can cause more intense shaking, it is the surface waves that are generally considered to be the most destructive due to their larger amplitudes and the way they interact with the Earth's surface features. read more >>

Although surface waves travel more slowly than S-waves, they can be much larger in amplitude and can be the most destructive type of seismic wave. There are two basic kinds of surface waves: Rayleigh waves, also called ground roll, travel as ripples similar to those on the surface of water.read more >>