A devastating earthquake that struck Turkey in 1999, killed over 17,000 people and destroyed 500,000 homes.
Multiple structures were reportedly destroyed by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 that struck Turkey, followed by another significant quake felt in various provinces in the area.
It was located around 33 kilometres (20 miles) from Gaziantep and about 26 kilometres (16 miles) from the town of Nurdagi, according to the US Geological Survey. The United States Geological Survey placed the epicentre at a depth of 18 kilometres (11 miles).
The Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management organisation was headquartered in Pazarcik, in Kahramanmaras province. Information on casualties and property loss from this devastating earthquake is still being confirmed. However, just 23 years ago, Turkey was rocked by an earthquake that killed 17,000 people and caused over 500,000 people to lose their homes. The devastating earthquake struck near Izmit, Turkey on August 17, 1999. Kocaeli and Gölcük are also other names for the earthquake.
North Anatolian fault system's northernmost strand was the epicentre of the earthquake, which happened just after 3:00 AM local time. The epicentre was located roughly 11 kilometres (7 miles) to the southeast of Izmit. Initially, there was a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that lasted for less than a minute. On August 19, around 50 miles (80 km) west of the first epicentre, there were two mild aftershocks.
Thousands of structures, including the Turkish naval headquarters in Gölcük and the Tüpraş oil refinery in Izmit, fell or were severely damaged, resulting in the deaths of about 17,000 people and the displacement of an estimated 500,000 more. Gölcük, Derince, Darca, and Sakarya (Adapazar) all reported high numbers of casualties. Hundreds of lives were lost and buildings were destroyed in Istanbul, located farther to the west.
The rescue and relief operation was led by the Turkish Red Crescent and the Turkish military, with the assistance of several foreign charity organisations. As a result of Greece's quick response, tensions in the country's often tense relationship with its neighbour have subsided.
Also, READ: 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey: Around 200 dead as buildings collapse; tremors in Cyprus, Syria and more
Most of the deaths were from residential building collapses, therefore there was a lot of public anger directed at private contractors, who were blamed for bad craftsmanship and utilising cheap, unsuitable materials.
Many contractors were charged with crimes, but only a small fraction were found guilty. Officials who had not strictly enforced building rules to ensure earthquake-proof construction were also widely criticised.
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