1939 Erzincan earthquake

Earthquake in Turkey

This article is about the 1939 earthquake. For the 1992 earthquake, see 1992 Erzincan earthquake.

1939 Erzincan earthquake

UTC time| 1939-12-26 23:57:23
ISC event| 902291
USGS-ANSS| ComCat
Local date| 27 December 1939 (1939-12-27)
Local time| 1:57:23 a.m.
Magnitude| 7.8 Mw[1]
Depth| 20 km (12 mi)[1]
Epicenter| 39°46′N 39°35′E﻿ / ﻿39.77°N 39.58°E﻿ / 39.77; 39.58[1]
Fault| North Anatolian Fault
Type| Strike-slip
Areas affected| Erzincan Province
Turkey
Total damage| 116,720 buildings were seriously damaged
Max. intensity| MMI XII (Extreme)[2]
Tsunami| 0.53 m (1 ft 9 in)[3]
Aftershocks| Yes
Casualties| 32,700–32,968 dead[3]
100,000 injured[3]

An earthquake struck Turkey's eastern Erzincan Province at 1:57:23 a.m. on 27 December 1939 local time with a moment magnitude (Mw ) of 7.8 and maximum Mercalli intensity of XII (Extreme). It is tied with the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes as the most powerful earthquake in Turkey to be recorded by instruments. However, it was less powerful than estimates of the 1668 North Anatolia earthquake.[4] 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.[5][6] The earthquake was the most severe natural loss of life in Turkey in the 20th century, with 32,968 dead,[6] and some 100,000 injured.[7]

## Preface

[edit]

The North Anatolian Fault in Asia Minor is a major transform fault boundary where the Eurasian plate slides past the smaller Anatolian Microplate. Running for over 1,600 km, the fault stretches from Eastern Turkey to the Sea of Marmara.[8] The North Anatolian fault has been, and remains very active. Erzincan has been destroyed by earthquakes at least 11 times since 1,000 AD.[9] Between 1942 and 1967, there were six major earthquakes along the same fault, with three above 7 Mw.[6][10]

## Earthquake

[edit]

With an epicenter near the city of Erzincan, the earthquake rupture propagated westwards for a length of 400 km.[11] Surface ruptures are still visible to this day. Up to 360 km of surface rupture was formed. An average surface displacement of between 2.3 meters and 8.8 meters was calculated.[12] Vertical displacements measured 0.5–2.0 meters.[12] The maximum horizontal slip was 10.5 meters.[13] The shaking lasted for 52 seconds.[14][better source needed] It resulted in a tsunami with heights of 1–3 m (3.3–9.8 ft) that hit the Black sea coast.[15] Coulomb stress transfer from the 1939 earthquake promoted westward-progressing ruptures along the North Anatolian Fault. Ten earthquakes greater than magnitude 6.7 have ruptured a 1,000 km portion of the fault since 1939.[16]

## Damage

[edit]

The earthquake seriously damaged some 116,720 buildings.[17] Occurring in winter, it was difficult for aid to reach the affected areas.

Initially, the death toll was about 8,000 people. The next day on 28 December, it was reported that it had risen to 20,000. During the same day, the temperature fell to −30 °C (−22 °F). An emergency rescue operation began. By January 5, almost 33,000 had died from the earthquake and low temperatures, blizzard conditions and floods.[18][19]

## Aftermath

[edit]

The total destruction of the earthquake prompted Turkey to adopt seismic building regulations.[20] So extensive was the damage to the city of Erzincan that its old site was entirely abandoned and a new settlement was founded a little further to the north.[19]

## See also

[edit]

* List of earthquakes in 1939
* List of earthquakes in Turkey
* Osman Nuri Tekeli

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c ISC (2015), ISC-GEM Global Instrumental Earthquake Catalogue (1900–2009), Version 2.0, International Seismological Centre
2. ^ National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS) (1972), Significant Earthquake Database, National Geophysical Data Center, NOAA, doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K, archived from the original on September 29, 2006
3. ^ a b c d PAGER-CAT Earthquake Catalog, Version 2008_06.1, United States Geological Survey, September 4, 2009
4. ^ "Historic Worldwide Earthquakes". United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 25 August 2009. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
5. ^ "Erzincan, Turkey, 1939 December 26 23:57 UTC, Magnitude 7.8". Historic Earthquakes. United States Geological Survey. Archived from the original on 23 March 2016.
6. ^ a b c Gürsoy, Halil; Tatar, Orhan; Akpınar, Zafer; Polat, Ali; Mesci, Levent; Tunçer, Doğan (2013-04-01). "New observations on the 1939 Erzincan Earthquake surface rupture on the Kelkit Valley segment of the North Anatolian Fault Zone, Turkey". Journal of Geodynamics. SI : Tethyan Evolution and Active Tectonics in Anatolia dedicated in honour of Prof. Dr. Ali Koçyiğit’s retirement. 65: 259–271\. Bibcode:2013JGeo...65..259G. doi:10.1016/j.jog.2012.06.002. ISSN 0264-3707.
7. ^ Gürsoy, H.; Akpınar, Z.; Tatar, O.; Koçbulut, F.; Sezen, T.F.; Mesci, B.L.; Polat, A.; Kavak, K.Ş.; Tunçer, D.; Yaman, S. (November 2006). "1939 Erzincan depremi yüzey kırığı haritalama çalışmaları (Reşadiye batısı – Koyulhisar arası): ilk gözlemlere ait bulgular" (PDF) (in Turkish). Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi. pp. 2–4\. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2009.
8. ^ "The North Anatolian Fault". Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory. Columbia University. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
9. ^ HAÇİN, İlhan (March 2014). "1939 ERZİNCAN BÜYÜK DEPREMİ". Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi.
10. ^ "Major Turkish Earthquakes of the 20th Century". Buffalo, NY: MCEER. 2010. Archived from the original on 4 April 2010. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
11. ^ H. Fuenzalida, L. Dorbath, A. Cisternas, H. Eyidogan, A. Barka, L. Rivera, H. Haessler, H. Philip, N. Lyberis (April 1997). "Mechanism of the 1992 Erzincan earthquake and its aftershocks, tectonics of the Erzincan Basin and decoupling on the North Anatolian Fault". Geophysical Journal International. 129 (1): 1–28\. Bibcode:1997GeoJI.129....1F. doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.1997.tb00935.x.`{{cite journal}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
12. ^ a b Gürsoy, Halil; Tatar, Orhan; Akpınar, Zafer; Polat, Ali; Mesci, Levent; Tunçer, Doğan (2013). "New observations on the 1939 Erzincan Earthquake surface rupture on the Kelkit Valley segment of the North Anatolian Fault Zone, Turkey". Journal of Geodynamics. 65. Elsevier: 259–271\. Bibcode:2013JGeo...65..259G. doi:10.1016/j.jog.2012.06.002.
13. ^ Ömer, Emre; Hisao, Kondo; Selim, Özalp; Hasan, Elmaci (2021). "Fault geometry, segmentation and slip distribution associated with the 1939 Erzincan Earthquake rupture along the North Anatolian Fault, Turkey". Geological Society, London, Special Publications. 501 (1): 23–70\. Bibcode:2021GSLSP.501...23E. doi:10.1144/SP501-2019-141. S2CID 218814351.
14. ^ "Erzincan depreminin 80.yıl dönümü! Büyük Erzincan depremi kaç şiddetinde oldu?". Sabah (in Turkish). 27 December 2019. Archived from the original on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
15. ^ "Tsunami Türkiye'yi de vurmuş". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 30 January 2005. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
16. ^ Stein, Ross S.; Barka, Aykut A.; Dieterich, James H. (1997). "Progressive failure on the North Anatolian fault since 1939 by earthquake stress triggering". Geophysical Journal International. 128 (3): 594–604\. Bibcode:1997GeoJI.128..594S. doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.1997.tb05321.x. S2CID 52234859.
17. ^ Flight, Tim (26 December 2018). "The Erzincan Earthquake killed around 33, 000 people on December 26th 1939". History Collection.
18. ^ Ranguelov, Boyko. "The Erzincan 1939 Earthquake" (PDF). Second Balkan Geophysical Conference and Exhibition. Retrieved 26 December 2012.
19. ^ a b Cowell, Alan (1992-03-15). "Turkey Digs Through Quake's Debris". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
20. ^ Reitherman, R. (2012). Earthquakes and Engineers: An International History. American Society of Civil Engineers. pp. 226–228\. ISBN 978-0-7844-1071-4.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Yalciner, A. C.; Pelinovsky, E. N. (2004), "The Source Mechanism of 1939 Black Sea Tsunami", AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts, 2004: OS13A–06, Bibcode:2004AGUSMOS13A..06Y

## External links

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* The International Seismological Centre has a bibliography and/or authoritative data for this event.
* 33 bin kişinin can verdiği Erzincan Depremi'nin acısı 82 yıldır dinmiyor – Anadolu Agency

* v
* t
* e

Earthquakes in Turkey

Historical|

* AD 17 Lydia
* 115 Antioch
* 141 Lycia
* 262 SW Anatolia
* 447 Constantinople
* 526 Antioch
* 528 Antioch
* 557 Constantinople
* 840 Erzurum
* 847 Damascus
* 1114 Marash
* 1269 Cilicia
* 1509 Constantinople
* 1513 Marash
* 1598 Amasya–Çorum
* 1653 Smyrna
* 1668 North Anatolia
* 1688 Smyrna
* 1766 Istanbul
* 1766 Marmara
* 1840 Ahora
* 1855 Bursa
* 1856 Heraklion
* 1859 Erzurum
* 1866 Bingöl
* 1872 Antioch
* 1875 Dinar
* 1881 Chios
* 1883 Çeşme
* 1893 Malatya
* 1894 Istanbul
* 1898 Balıkesir
* 1899 Aydın–Denizli
* 1903 Manzikert
* 1912 Mürefte
* 1914 Burdur
* 1919 Ayvalık

Contemporary|

* 1924 Pasinler
* 1926 Kars
* 1929 Suşehri
* 1930 Salmas
* 1935 Erdek–Marmara Islands
* 1935 Digor
* 1938 Kırşehir
* 1939 Erzincan
* 1941 Van–Erciş
* 1942 Niksar–Erbaa
* 1943 Adapazarı–Hendek
* 1943 Tosya–Ladik
* 1944 Bolu–Gerede
* 1944 Gulf of Edremit–Ayvacik
* 1946 Varto–Hınıs
* 1949 Karlıova
* 1951 Kurşunlu
* 1952 Hasankale
* 1953 Yenice–Gönen
* 1957 Fethiye
* 1957 Abant
* 1964 Manyas
* 1966 Varto
* 1967 Mudurnu
* 1968 Bartın
* 1969 Alaşehir
* 1970 Gediz
* 1971 Bingöl
* 1975 Lice
* 1976 Çaldıran–Muradiye
* 1983 Erzurum
* 1983 Biga
* 1986 Malatya
* 1992 Erzincan
* 1995 Dinar
* 1998 Adana–Ceyhan
* 1999 İzmit
* 1999 Düzce
* 2002 Afyon
* 2003 Bingöl
* 2004 Doğubayazıt
* 2010 Elazığ
* 2011 Kütahya
* 2011 Van
* 2014 Aegean Sea
* 2017 Aegean Sea
* 2019 Istanbul
* 2020 Elazığ
* 2020 Van
* 2020 Bingöl
* 2020 Aegean Sea
* 2022 Düzce
* 2023 Gaziantep–Kahramanmaraş
* 2025 Istanbul

* v
* t
* e

Earthquakes in the 1930s

1930|

* Bago (7.5, May 5) †
* Salmas (7.1, May 6) †‡
* Irpinia (6.6, July 3) †
* Dhubri (7.1, July 3)
* Senigallia (5,8, Oct 30)
* North Izu (7.3, Nov 26) †
* Pyu (7.3, Dec 4) †

1931|

* Oaxaca (7.8, Jan 15) †
* Myitkyina (7.6, Jan 28)
* Hawke's Bay (7.8, Feb 3) †
* Nicaragua (5.6, Mar 31) †
* Zangezur (6.5, Apr 27)
* North Sea (6.1, June 7)
* Fuyun (7.9, Aug 10) †‡
* Texas (6.5, Aug 16)
* Sumatra (7.3, Sep 25)

1932|

* Jalisco (8.2 & 7.7 & 7.0, June 3 & 18 & 22) †
* Eureka (6.4, June 6)
* Ierissos (7.0 Sept 26) †‡
* Cedar Mountain (7.2, Dec 20)
* Changma (7.6, Dec 25) †

1933|

* Sanriku (8.4, Mar 2) †
* Long Beach (6.4, Mar 10) †
* Kos (6.4, Apr 23) †
* Sumatra (7.7, Jun 24) †
* Diexi (7.3 Aug 25) †‡
* Baffin Bay (7.7, Nov 20)

1934|

* Bihar (8.0, January 15) † ‡
* Pahiatua (7.6, Mar 5)
* Hansel Valley (6.6, March 12)

1935|

* Erdek–Marmara Islands (7.4, Jan 4)
* Shinchiku-Taichū (7.1, Apr 21) †
* Digor (6.1, May 1) †
* Quetta (7.7, May 31) †‡
* Helena (6.2, Oct 19)
* Timiskaming (6.1, Nov 1)
* Sumatra (7.7, Dec 28)

1937|

* Orizaba (7.3, Jul 26) †
* Heze (7.0, Aug 1) †‡

1939|

* Chillán (7.9, Jan 25) †
* Oga (7.0, May 1)
* Erzincan (7.8, Dec 27) †‡

† indicates earthquake resulting in at least 30 deaths
‡ indicates the deadliest earthquake of the year
*[Max.]: Maximum
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