1999 İzmit earthquake
The 1999 İzmit earthquake (also known as the 17 August Earthquake or the 1999 Gölcük Earthquake) was a magnitude 7.6 earthquake which struck the Kocaeli Province of Turkey on 17 August 1999. Between 17,127 and 18,373 people died as a result, and it caused an estimated US $6.5 billion in damage. It was named for the quake's proximity to the northwestern city of İzmit. The earthquake occurred at 03:01 local time (00:01 UTC) 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.
Collapsed buildings in İzmit | |
| UTC time | 1999-08-17 00:01:38 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 1655218 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 17 August 1999 |
| Local time | 03:01 |
| Duration | 37 seconds |
| Magnitude | 7.6 Mw 7.8 Ms |
| Depth | 15.0 km (9.3 mi) |
| Epicenter | 40.748°N 29.864°E |
| Fault | North Anatolian Fault |
| Type | Strike-slip |
| Areas affected | Turkey |
| Total damage | 3–8.5 billion USD |
| Max. intensity | MMI X (Extreme) |
| Peak acceleration | 0.45 g |
| Tsunami | 2.52 m (8.3 ft) |
| Casualties | 17,127–18,373 dead 43,953–48,901 injured 5,840 missing |
The 1999 earthquake was part of a seismic sequence along the North Anatolian Fault that started in 1939, causing large earthquakes that moved progressively from east to west over a period of 60 years. The earthquake encouraged the establishment of a so-called earthquake tax aimed at providing assistance to those affected by the earthquake.