  | |
| Local date | 3 March 1893 |
|---|---|
| Local time | 02:30 |
| Magnitude | Ms 7.1 |
| Epicenter | 38°09′14″N38°17′35″E / 38.154°N 38.293°E [1] |
| Areas affected | Turkey |
| Max. intensity | X (Extreme) |
| Casualties | 885 fatalities |
The 1893 Malatya earthquake occurred at 02:30 local time on 3 March in Malatya, Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. It had a surface wave magnitude of 7.1 and maximum felt intensity of X (Extreme) on the Mercalli intensity scale. This destructive earthquake caused 885 deaths and 164 injuries.
The earthquake was located near the East Anatolian Fault; a 700-kilometre-long (430 mi) northeast–southwest left-lateral transform fault representing the boundary between the Anatolian and Arabian plates. The fault displays slip rates that decrease from the east at 10 mm (0.39 in) per year to the west, where it is 1–4 mm (0.039–0.157 in) per year. The fault produced large earthquakes in 1789 (M 7.2), 1795 (M 7.0), 1872 (M 7.2), 1874 (M 7.1), 1875 (M 6.7), 1893 (M 7.1), and 2020 (Mw 6.8). These earthquakes ruptured individual segments of the fault. The seismically active Palu and Pütürge segments in the east display a recurrence interval of about 150 years for M 6.8–7.0 earthquakes. The Pazarcık and Amanos segments in the west have recurrence intervals of 237–772 years and 414–917 years, respectively, for M 7.0–7.4 earthquakes. [2] This intracontinental transform fault is the second largest strike-slip fault in Turkey. [3]
The shock had a surface wave magnitude of 7.1 and was assigned a maximum intensity of X (Extreme) on the Mercalli intensity scale. [4] was part of a seismic sequence involving Mw 6.7–7.0 earthquakes along the East Anatolian Fault from 1866 to 1905. It ruptured the Erkenek segment of the fault southwest of Lake Hazar. [5] The Erkenek segment is located between the Pütürge segment to the northeast and the Pazarcık segment in the southwest. The shock was associated with 86 km (53 mi) of surface rupture with a maximum left-lateral offset of 4.5 m (15 ft) measured south of Çelikhan. [6] The damage area measured 220 km (140 mi) long by 120 km (75 mi) wide. [7] Rupture was confined to the Erkenek segment; which was broken for most of its length. The rupture likely ceased about 20 km (12 mi) southwest of Pütürge in the north and near Erkenek at its southern termination. A Mw 6.8 earthquake in 1905 likely completed the rupture along the southern Erkenek segment; no surface faulting was associated with the shock. The Erkenek and Pazarcık segments ruptured during the Mw 7.8 earthquake on 6 February 2023 while the Pütürge segment ruptured during the Mw 6.8 earthquake on 24 January 2020. [8]
The shock affected a 220 km (140 mi) long by 120 km (75 mi) wide area that encompassed the districts of Kubeli, Behesni, Hisn-Mansur, Akcedağ, Karakiahta and Mirdis. A total of 885 people died and 164 were injured. In Akcedağ, 2,719 of its 11,740 homes were totally destroyed, 1,345 were uninhabitable and 2,195 were damaged. An estimated 5,100 homes in the villages between Malatya and Pütürge were destroyed; the remaining 1,900 were damaged. In these villages, 42 marketplaces, two mosques, a church and school were also destroyed. The death toll in the villages stood at 285 and 77 were injured. At least 3,260 sheep and 226 cattle also died. In Adıyaman, 22 died and 26 were injured; a third of its 3,500 homes were razed; another third were damaged. Eight villages near Malatya were demolished and 124 deaths were reported. In Malatya, homes were damaged though few collapsed; about 300 people died. Three churches, 47 mosques, 14 religious schools, the barracks in the town and two telegraph stations were razed. Some homes and government buildings in Elbistan and Gaziantep were destroyed. Aftershocks which were felt until 12 March caused further damage. [9] A cholera outbreak the same year killed 896 people. The reconstruction of demolished buildings began in 1894. [10]
An earthquake struck Turkey's eastern Erzincan Province at 1:57:23 a.m. on 27 December 1939 local time with a moment magnitude of 7.8Mw and a maximum Mercalli intensity of XII (Extreme). It is the joint second most-powerful earthquake recorded in Turkey, tied with the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake. Only the 1668 North Anatolia earthquake was more powerful. This was one of the largest in a sequence of violent shocks to affect Turkey along the North Anatolian Fault between 1939 and 1999. Surface rupturing, with a horizontal displacement of up to 3.7 meters, occurred in a 360 km long segment of the North Anatolian Fault Zone. The earthquake was the most severe natural loss of life in Turkey in the 20th century, with 32,968 dead, and some 100,000 injured.
On 17 August 1999, a catastrophic magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Kocaeli Province of Turkey, causing monumental damage and between 17,127 and 18,373 deaths. Named for the quake's proximity to the northwestern city of İzmit, the earthquake is also commonly referred to as the 17 August Earthquake or the 1999 Gölcük Earthquake. The earthquake occurred at 03:01 local time at a shallow depth of 15 km. A maximum Mercalli intensity of X (Extreme) was observed. The earthquake lasted for 37 seconds, causing seismic damage and is widely remembered as one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern Turkish history.
The East Anatolian Fault is a ~700 km long major strike-slip fault zone running from eastern to south-central Turkey. It forms the transform type tectonic boundary between the Anatolian Plate and the northward-moving Arabian Plate. The difference in the relative motions of the two plates is manifest in the left lateral motion along the fault. The East and North Anatolian faults together accommodate the westward motion of the Anatolian Plate as it is squeezed out by the ongoing collision with the Eurasian Plate.
The 1967 Mudurnu earthquake or more correctly, the 1967 Mudurnu Valley earthquake occurred at about 18:57 local time on 22 July near Mudurnu, Bolu Province, north-western Turkey. The magnitude 7.4 Mw earthquake was one of a series of major and intermediate quakes that have occurred in modern times along the North Anatolian Fault since 1939.
The 1971 Bingöl earthquake was a Mw 6.6 earthquake that occurred at 18:44:02 local time on 22 May. It had a surface-wave magnitude of 6.9 and a maximum intensity of VIII (Severe) on the Mercalli intensity scale, killing 755–1,000 people.
The 1912 Mürefte earthquake occurred at 03:29 local time on 9 August. It had an estimated magnitude of 7.4 Mw and a maximum intensity of X (Extreme) on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale, causing from 216–3000 casualties.
Two major earthquakes occurred in the Near East on 18 March and 29 May, AD 1068. The two earthquakes are often amalgamated by contemporary sources. The first earthquake had its epicentre somewhere in the northwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula around Tabuk, while the second was most damaging in the city of Ramla in Palestine, some 500 km to the northwest.
Northern Anatolia was struck by a large earthquake on 17 August 1668 in the late morning. It had an estimated magnitude in the range 7.8–8.0 Ms and the maximum felt intensity was IX on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale. The epicenter of the earthquake was on the southern shore of Ladik Lake. It caused widespread damage from as far west as Bolu and as far east as Erzincan, resulting in about 8,000 deaths. It is thought to be the most powerful earthquake in Turkey.
The Haiyuan Fault is a major active intracontinental strike-slip (sinistral) fault in Central Asia.
The 1987 Superstition Hills and Elmore Ranch earthquakes were a pair of earthquakes measuring Mw 6.0 and 6.5 that rattled the Imperial Valley of California. The earthquakes caused damage in Southern California and Mexico, but was limited due to their location in a sparsely populated area. It was felt as far as Las Vegas and Phoenix. More than 90 were injured, and two people were killed in Mexico.
Erzincan in Turkey, then part of the Ottoman Empire, was struck by a major earthquake on 18 July 1784. It caused widespread damage between Erzincan and Muş. It had an estimated magnitude of 7.6 Ms. More than 90% of the houses in Erzincan collapsed and at least 5,000 people died, with some reports of more than 10,000 deaths. A 150 km long zone of surface rupture was observed. It ruptured the Yedisu segment at the eastern end of the North Anatolian Fault, which has not ruptured since then and is now regarded as a seismic gap. In 2013 it was estimated that about 2.67 m of displacement deficit has accumulated on this fault segment since 1784, sufficient to drive an earthquake of up to Mw7.5.
The 1872 Amik (Antakya) earthquake occurred on April 3 with an epicenter within the Amik Valley in the Ottoman Empire. Earthquake had an estimated magnitude of Mw 7.0–7.2 or Ms 7.2 and maximum MSK 64 rating of XI (Catastrophic). Turkey and Syria were devastated by this earthquake, and the region lost at least 1,800 residents.
The 1986 Malatya earthquake was a Mw 6.1 earthquake that occurred in the early morning hours of May 5, 1986. It registered a maximum Modified Mercalli Intensity of VIII (Severe). It occurred near the city of Malatya, Turkey.
The 1899 Aydın–Denizli earthquake which struck present-day Turkey on September 30 resulted in between 1,117 and 1,470 fatalities. Heavy damage was reported in the provinces of Aydın and Denizli. The shallow normal-faulting earthquake had a maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). Estimates of the seismic magnitude range from 6.5 to 7.1 Mw.
The 1968 Aegean Sea earthquake was a Mw 7.0 earthquake that occurred in the early morning hours of February 20th, 1968 local time about 57.1 km (35.5 mi) away from Myrina, Greece. This earthquake occurred between mainland Greece and Turkey, meaning both countries were impacted. 20 people died, and 39 people were injured to various degrees. It was the deadliest Greek earthquake since the 1956 Amorgos earthquake.
The 1977 Bob–Tangol earthquake struck Kerman province of Iran on December 20, 1977 at 03:04 Iran Standard Time. The earthquake destroyed homes and left thousands homeless. A maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of VII was evaluated based on damage. Between 584 and 665 people perished while a further 500–1,000 were injured. Casualties from the earthquake was considered moderate due to the sparsely populated area it affected. The earthquake measured Mw 5.9 and struck at a depth of 22.7 km (14.1 mi). It had a strike-slip focal mechanism, which was unusual as the source structure was a thrust fault. It was part of a sequence of strong earthquakes along the 400 km (250 mi) Kuh Banan Fault. Preceded by foreshocks the month before, many residents became wary of a larger earthquake and took refuge outside their homes, contributing to the moderate death toll. However, there were none immediately before the mainshock so many were still in their homes when it struck. Aftershocks were felt for several months, some causing additional damage.
The 1977 Naghan earthquake struck Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province in Iran on April 6 at 13:36 UTC. The earthquake measuring 6.0 Mw occurred at a depth of 15 km (9.3 mi) and had a maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe). More than 2,100 homes were destroyed and at least 348 people were killed.
The 1957 Sangchal earthquake struck northern Iran's Mazandaran province on 2 July 1957. It had a moment magnitude of 6.6 or 7.1 (Mw ), focal depth of 15 km (9.3 mi), and maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). It devastated many communities in the Alborz Mountains and caused an estimated 1,500 fatalities. Damage was estimated at US$ 25 milion.
The 1866 Bingöl earthquake affected the Ottoman Empire on 12 May. It had an estimated surface-wave magnitude of 7.2 and was associated with faulting along the East Anatolian Fault. The earthquake killed over 680 people and destroyed thousands of homes in Bingöl Province.
The 1766 Marmara earthquake occurred on 5 August; the second major earthquake to strike the Sea of Marmara region of present-day Turkey that same year. Estimates of the earthquake's moment magnitude (Mw ) range between 7.4 and 7.6. The earthquake was caused by strike-slip movement along a segment of the North Anatolian Fault. There was further damage and casualties in the Sea of Marmara area which had been affected by another major earthquake in May 1766. The worst affected areas were Tekirdağ and Gelibolu.