Gediz earthquake in 1970
| Gediz earthquake | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| date | March 28, 1970 | ||
| Time | 21:02:26 UTC | ||
| intensity | VII on the MM scale | ||
| Magnitude | 6.9 M W | ||
| epicenter | 39 ° 5 '53 " N , 29 ° 34' 12" E | ||
| country | Turkey | ||
The Gediz earthquake occurred in 1970 in the Turkish province of Kütahya, in the villages of Gediz and Emet about 200 km northeast of Izmir . The main shock of the quake reached an intensity of 7.6 on the 12-point Mercalli-Sieberg scale and was felt in large parts of western Turkey and even in Erzincan . The main quake occurred on March 28 at 11:03 p.m. local time. The epicenter was 39.2 ° north and 29.6 ° east. The hypocenter was 13 km deep.
Victims and damage
1,100 people were killed in the devastating quake. 3,500 houses were completely destroyed and 80,000 people were left homeless. The construction method played an important role in the extent of the destruction. In particular, the quarry stone houses that were common in the region at that time were severely affected by destruction even at a great distance from the epicenter . The quake occurred in a geologically complex area. The subsoil also influenced the extent of the damage. Houses on solid rock layers showed less damage than those on loose sediment layers . These circumstances were taken into account during the reconstruction. The aftershocks lasted for several months and caused further damage.
After the quake, fires broke out in many places due to the open hearths. The relief efforts were made more difficult by destroyed roads and spring floods in the rivers.
Gediz was completely destroyed. The district town was rebuilt seven kilometers away.
causes
The earthquake was tectonic and resulted from the east-west shift of the Anatolian land mass. After the quake, hot springs appeared, which soon dried up again. Volcanic activity cannot be read from it. Water had penetrated deep crevices and heated up there.
swell
- Sırrı Erinç: The Gediz Earthquake of 1970 . In: Review of the Geographical Institute of the University of Istanbul , 1971, pp. 67-83, ISSN 0535-8361
- Joseph Penzien and Robert D. Hanson: The Gediz Turkey earthquake of 1970. A Report to the National Science Foundation . National Academy of Engineering, Washington, DC 1970 (on behalf of the Committee on Earthquake Inspection, Division of Engineering, National Research Council).
Individual evidence
- ^ M 6.9 - western Turkey. USGS , accessed July 15, 2020.