1970 Gediz earthquake
7.2 magnitude earthquake in western Turkey / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1970 Gediz earthquake (also known as the 1970 Kütahya-Gediz earthquake) struck western Turkey on 28 March at about 23:02 local time, with an estimated magnitude of 7.2 on the Ms scale.
UTC time | 1970-03-28 21:02:24 |
---|---|
ISC event | 798506 |
USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
Local date | 28 March 1970 (1970-03-28)[1] |
Local time | 23:02:24 |
Magnitude | 6.9 Mw(USGS) 7.2 Ms(ISC) |
Depth | 17.7 km |
Epicenter | 39.2°N 29.5°E / 39.2; 29.5 |
Areas affected | Turkey |
Max. intensity | MMI IX (Violent)[2] |
Casualties | 1,086 dead, 1,260 injured[1] |
The event killed 1,086 people, injured 1,260 people, and left many thousands homeless in Gediz, a district of Kütahya Province situated 98 km (61 mi) southeast of Kütahya.[1][3] Many people were burned alive as fires broke out from overturned stoves, and 9,452 buildings in the region were severely damaged or destroyed.[1]
The town of Gediz, home to repeated natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, was relocated following a government resolution soon after the destruction to a new place 7 km (4.3 mi) away on the road to Uşak under the name "Yeni Gediz" (literally: New Gediz). The residents moved in their newly built, earthquake-resistant homes. Neighboring towns and villages were also rebuilt at places with relative minimum earthquake risk.[1]
Other major earthquakes occurred in Gediz in 1866 and 1896, and on June 25, 1944, at 07:20 local time, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred in Gediz, killing 20 people and damaging around 3,500 buildings.[1]