2011 Kütahya earthquake

Earthquake in Turkey

2011 Kütahya earthquake

Istanbul

Ankara

UTC time| 2011-05-19 20:15:24
ISC event| 602607377
USGS-ANSS| ComCat
Local date| May 19, 2011 (2011-05-19)
Local time| 23:15:24 UTC+03:00
Magnitude| 5.8 Mw(ComCat)
Depth| 9.1 km (6 mi)
Epicenter| 39°08′13″N 29°04′26″E﻿ / ﻿39.137°N 29.074°E﻿ / 39.137; 29.074
Areas affected| Turkey
Total damage| Building collapse, shattered windows
Max. intensity| MMI VII (Very strong)[1]
Aftershocks| 450+ (max 4.6 ML)[2][3]
Casualties| 2 dead, 122 injured[4]

The 2011 Kütahya earthquake struck near a populous region of western Turkey at 23:15 EEST (20:15 UTC) on 19 May with a moment magnitude of 5.8 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VII (Very strong). With an epicenter just to the east of Simav, it occurred at an estimated depth of 9.1 kilometers (5.7 mi), resulting in strong shaking in much of Kütahya.

Many locals panicked and power was lost to most of Simav. A hospital in Simav reported an unknown number of injuries, and some buildings sustained damage. An elderly woman in İnegöl suffered a heart attack in the immediate aftermath of the tremor, and was later confirmed dead. In Simav, one person was killed after being struck by a concrete block.[5] More than 450 weak aftershocks followed; the strongest registered at a magnitude of 4.6.[2][6]

## Earthquake

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The magnitude 5.8 (Mw) earthquake occurred inland on 19 May 2011 at 20:15 UTC at a depth of 9.1 km (5.7 mi), as a result of shallow intraplate faulting in an area of north–south tectonic extension about 80 km (50 mi) west-southwest of Kütahya city. High levels of seismic activity have been registered in the region; historically, it has been home to many destructive earthquakes. Preliminary analysis suggested the quake was triggered by a slip on an east-west trending normal fault.[7] National seismologists identified the fault as the active Simav fault, which has previously generated earthquakes of similar intensities. Due to its magnitude, the quake was believed to have caused a surface rupture near the epicenter.[8] Initial estimates from the United States Geological Survey placed the magnitude at 6.0 (Mw), though this – as well as its focal depth – was revised shortly after.[9] Concurrently, the quake was assigned a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 (ML) by the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute.[10]

### Intensity

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USGS ShakeMap for the event

Owing to the shallow depth, powerful shaking was reported in many areas around the epicenter. Maximum ground motion in Simav was estimated at VII (Very strong) on the Mercalli scale; Intensity VI (Strong) was also reported in the two proximate small districts of Pazarlar and Şaphane.[11] Most of Kütahya Province, as well as some parts of adjacent provinces, reported lighter shaking (MM IV-V), with weak tremors felt as far away as Istanbul[12] several hundred kilometers from the epicenter.[1]

### Related shocks

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A light magnitude 3.8 ML foreshock struck Simav at 19:59 UTC, 23 minutes before the main shock.[13] As of 20 May 2011, over 450 minor aftershocks were reported in the region.[2] Cumulatively, a total of 8 measured magnitude 4.0 (ML) or greater; the strongest occurred near the epicenter at a magnitude of 4.6 (ML) about 10 minutes after the main shock.[3][14] There were no immediate reports of additional damage following the tremors.

### Damage and casualties

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The earthquake struck at midnight near a well-populated area; a good amount of structures around the epicenter were reported to be vulnerable to earthquake shaking.[1][6] Residents in over 10 provinces exited their homes and rushed into vehicles, with some people reportedly jumping from windows and balconies in panic.[15][16] Power supply was cut to most of Simav in order to prevent fires, and telephone lines in the area were down.[6][17] Hundreds of structures in Samiv sustained damage, particularly ranging from deep cracks to roof collapse. Several small fires were sparked by damaged stoves in collapsed apartments, and the tremor toppled furniture in most residences.[15]

A total of 122 people were injured; at least one person was reported to be in critical condition, and others suffered heart attacks and anxiety attacks.[17] A man was killed after being struck in the head by a concrete block, while officials said an elderly woman in İnegöl died from cardiac.[5][6] Other sources reported a third unidentified jump victim, though the validity of this claim remains uncertain.[18]

## See also

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* List of earthquakes in 2011
* List of earthquakes in Turkey
* 2011 Van earthquakes

## References

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1. ^ a b c "Pager – M 5.8 - Western Turkey". United States Geological Survey. 2011-05-19. Archived from the original on 2011-06-07. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
2. ^ a b c Staff Writer (2011-05-20). "Kütahya'yı 5.9'luk deprem vurdu" (in Turkish). CNN Türk. Archived from the original on 2014-03-07. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
3. ^ a b "SİMAV (KÜTAHYA) 19.05.2011 23:25:32". Kandilli Observatory. 2011-05-19. Archived from the original on 2013-05-25. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
4. ^ Comert, Yesim (2011-05-20). "Earthquake hits western Turkey; 2 dead". CNN. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
5. ^ a b "İl il Simav depremi" (in Turkish). NTV. 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2011-05-21.
6. ^ a b c d "Dozens injured, three dead in Turkey quake". New Zealand: Stuff. Associated Press. 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
7. ^ "Magnitude 5.8 - Western Turkey; Tectonic Summary". United States Geological Survey. 2011-05-19. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
8. ^ ÇOMÜ (2011-05-19). "Kütahya'da 5.9 şiddetinde deprem haberi" (in Turkish). Bugün Gazetesi. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
9. ^ Zheng (Xinhua). "6.0-magnitude quake hits western Turkey: USGS". CriEnglish.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
10. ^ "SİMAV (KÜTAHYA) 19.05.2011 23:15:22" (in Turkish). Kandilli Observatory. 2011-05-19. Archived from the original on 2013-05-25. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
11. ^ "Pager Version 2 - M 5.8, Western Turkey" (PDF). United States Geological Survey. 2011-05-19. Retrieved 2011-05-19.
12. ^ "5.9-magnitude quake hits northwest Turkey: one dead". Google Hosted News. Agence France-Presse. 2011-05-19. Archived from the original on May 23, 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
13. ^ "SİMAV (KÜTAHYA) 19.05.2011 22:59:46". Kandilli Observatory. 2011-05-19. Archived from the original on 2013-05-25. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
14. ^ "Latest Seismicity in Turkey: Last Seven Days". Kandilli Observatory. May 2011. Archived from the original on 2020-02-17. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
15. ^ a b "Kütahya'da 5.9 büyüklüğünde deprem" (in Turkish). Doğan Haber Ajansı. 2011-05-20. Retrieved 2011-05-21.
16. ^ CİHAN (2011-05-20). "Simav belediyesi halkı ilçe dışına taşıyor". Zaman (in Turkish). Retrieved 2011-05-21.
17. ^ a b "Two dead, dozens wounded as quake hits western Turkey". Today's Zaman. 2011-05-20. Archived from the original on 2011-05-22. Retrieved 2011-05-21.
18. ^ Butler, Daren (2011-05-20). "Turkish quake kills two, injures 79 – minister". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2011-05-23. Retrieved 2011-05-21.

## External links

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* The International Seismological Centre has a bibliography and/or authoritative data for this event.

* v
* t
* e

← Earthquakes in 2011 →

January|

* Tirúa, Chile (7.1, Jan 2)
* Balochistan, Pakistan (7.2, Jan 19)

February|

* Christchurch, New Zealand (6.3, Feb 22)†

March|

* Sendai, Japan (7.2, Mar 9)
* Yunnan, China (5.4, Mar 10)
* Tōhoku, Japan (Great East Japan) (9.1, Mar 11)†‡
* Sakae, Japan (6.7, Mar 11)
* Nagano, Japan (6.7, Mar 12)
* Shizuoka, Japan (6.0, Mar 15)
* Shan State, Myanmar (6.8, Mar 24)†

April|

* Miyagi, Japan (7.1, Apr 7)
* Fukushima, Japan (6.6, Apr 11)

May|

* Guerrero, Mexico (5.7, May 5)
* Lorca, Spain (5.1, May 11)
* Simav, Turkey (5.8, May 19)

June|

* Christchurch, New Zealand (6.3, June 13)

July|

* Fergana Valley (Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) (6.2, July 19)

August|

* Trinidad, Colorado (5.3, Aug 22)
* Mineral, Virginia (5.8, Aug 23)

September|

* Aceh Singkil, Indonesia (6.7, Sep 6)
* Sikkim, India (6.8, Sep 18)†

October|

* Van, Turkey (7.2, Oct 23)†

November|

* Prague, Oklahoma (5.7, Nov 6)
* Van, Turkey (5.6, Nov 10)†

December|

* Guerrero, Mexico (6.5, Dec 10)

† indicates earthquake resulting in at least 30 deaths
‡ indicates the deadliest earthquake of the year

* v
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* 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

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