Turkey is a region where earthquakes are frequently experienced due to the movements of the earth’s crust. Kahramanmaraş earthquake was recorded as the biggest earthquake in Turkey in recent years. Turkey, located on the Eurasian-Arab-African plate and where seismic activities are active, has been exposed to earthquakes of magnitude 7 and above since the 1500s.
The country is located in the earthquake zone due to the North Anatolian Fault Line, the East Anatolian Fault Line and the West Anatolian Fault Line within its borders. Experts state that approximately 60% of the population in Turkey is settled on active earthquake areas. Turkey is a region under the risk of earthquakes due to movements in the earth’s crust and large earthquakes occur from time to time. Major earthquakes that resulted in loss of life and destruction are as follows;
1930 Hakkari Earthquake
The 1930 Hakkari earthquake occurred on the border of Turkey and Iran with a magnitude of 7.2. The earthquake caused the death of 2514 people as a result of the collapse of houses made of adobe.
1939 Erzincan Earthquake
The 1939 Erzincan earthquake is an earthquake that occurred in northeast Turkey and caused severe damage. It was also recorded as the earthquake that caused the most human loss in the history of Turkey. During the earthquake, approximately 33,000 people died and 100,000 were injured.
1942 Niksar-Erbaa Earthquake
The earthquake that occurred in the Niksar – Erbaa region in 1942 was quite severe and its magnitude was recorded as 7.0. As a result of the earthquake, 3000 people lost their lives and 6300 people were injured.
1943 Tosya-Ladik Earthquake
The Tosya-Ladik Earthquake in 1943 was recorded with a magnitude of 7.2. 4000 people died in the earthquake. At the same time, fires broke out and roads became unusable.
1944 Bolu-Gerede Earthquake
The earthquake that occurred in the Bolu-Gerede region in 1944 is one of the earthquakes that caused great destruction in Turkey’s history. The magnitude of the earthquake was recorded as 7.2 and 3959 people lost their lives. Also, entire villages and towns were leveled to the ground.
1966 Varto Earthquake
The 1966 Varto earthquake is an earthquake that occurred in the province of Muş, Turkey. It caused 2394 people to die and 1489 people were injured.
1975 Lice Earthquake
In the 6.2-magnitude earthquake that occurred in the Lice district of Diyarbakır, 2385 citizens lost their lives. The effect of the earthquake did not remain only within the district of Lice, but Diyarbakır and the surrounding districts also felt the destruction of the earthquake.
1976 Çaldıran Earthquake
The 1976 Çaldıran earthquake is an earthquake that occurred in the Çaldıran district of Van province and its magnitude was recorded as 7.5. During the earthquake, 3840 people lost their lives and eighty percent of the settlements were destroyed.
1999 Gölcük Earthquake
The Gölcük Earthquake, which occurred in the Marmara Region in 1999, has a magnitude of 7.5. The earthquake caused 18,373 deaths and 48,901 injuries. The effects of the earthquake were severe and more than 600,000 people were left homeless. 52 countries sent aid convoys, the US President of the time visited the region.
1999 Düzce Earthquake
The magnitude of the earthquake that occurred in Düzce in 1999 was recorded as 7.2. As a result of this earthquake, 845 people lost their lives and approximately 5000 people were injured.
2011 Van Earthquake
This earthquake, which occurred in the province of Van in 2011, caused great damage to the settlements. In the earthquake, the magnitude of which was recorded as 7.2, 604 citizens lost their lives and 4152 people were injured.
2020 Elazig Earthquake
The 6.8 magnitude earthquake that occurred in the province of Elazig in 2020 lasted longer than 40 seconds. While 41 people lost their lives in the earthquake, 1607 people were injured.
2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake
Just 11 minutes after the first earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 occurred in the Pazarcık district of Kahramanmaraş on Monday, 6 February, the region was shaken by a 6.7 magnitude aftershock. After the second earthquake with a magnitude of 7.6, which came hours later, a 6-magnitude aftershock occurred. The earthquake, which was measured as 7.7 in Pazarcık and 7.6 in Elbistan, caused great destruction, deaths and injuries in 10 provinces. According to seismologists; It was one of the largest earthquakes in the history of the region, as it caused a crack of more than 100 kilometers extending to Anatolia and the Arabian peninsula. The aftershocks of the earthquake are expected to continue for a while.
