1939 Erzincan earthquake explained

1939 Erzincan earthquake
Timestamp:1939-12-26 23:57:23
Isc-Event:902291
Anss-Url:iscgem902291
Local-Time:1:57:23 a.m.
Magnitude:7.8
Depth:20km (10miles)
Location:39.77°N 39.58°W
Fault:North Anatolian Fault
Type:Strike-slip
Affected:Erzincan Province
Turkey
Damage:$20 million
Tsunami:0.53m (01.74feet)
Aftershocks:Yes
Casualties:32,700–32,968 dead
100,000 injured
Damages:116,720 buildings were seriously damaged

An earthquake struck Turkey's eastern Erzincan Province at with a moment magnitude of 7.8

and a maximum Mercalli intensity of XII (Extreme). It is the joint second most-powerful earthquake recorded in Turkey, tied with the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake. Only the 1668 North Anatolia earthquake was more powerful.[1] 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.[2] [3] The earthquake was the most severe natural loss of life in Turkey in the 20th century, with 32,968 dead, and some 100,000 injured.[4]

Preface

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.[5] The North Anatolian fault has been, and remains very active. Erzincan has been destroyed by earthquakes at least 11 times since 1,000 AD.[6] Between 1942 and 1967, there were six major earthquakes along the same fault, with three above 7

.[7]

Earthquake

With an epicenter near the city of Erzincan, the earthquake rupture propagated westwards for a length of 400 km.[8] 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.[9] Vertical displacements measured 0.5–2.0 meters. The maximum horizontal slip was 10.5 meters.[10] The shaking lasted for 52 seconds.[11] It resulted in a tsunami with heights of NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet) that hit the Black sea coast.[12] 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.[13]

Damage

The earthquake seriously damaged some 116,720 buildings.[14] 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 . An emergency rescue operation began. By January 5, almost 33,000 had died due to the earthquake and due to low temperatures, blizzard conditions and floods.[15] [16]

Aftermath

The total destruction of the earthquake prompted Turkey to adopt seismic building regulations.[17] 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.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Historic Worldwide Earthquakes . https://web.archive.org/web/20090825081330/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/historical.php/ . dead . 25 August 2009. United States Geological Survey. 27 September 2021.
  2. Web site: Erzincan, Turkey, 1939 December 26 23:57 UTC, Magnitude 7.8 . Historic Earthquakes . USGS . https://web.archive.org/web/20160323201625/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/world/events/1939_12_26.php . 23 March 2016 . dead . en.
  3. 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. en. 65. 259–271. 10.1016/j.jog.2012.06.002. 2013JGeo...65..259G. 0264-3707.
  4. Web site: Gürsoy . H. . Akpınar . Z. . Tatar . O. . Koçbulut . F. . Sezen . T.F. . Mesci . B.L. . Polat . A. . Kavak . K.Ş. . Tunçer . D. . Yaman . S. . 1939 Erzincan depremi yüzey kırığı haritalama çalışmaları (Reşadiye batısı - Koyulhisar arası): ilk gözlemlere ait bulgular . Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi . https://web.archive.org/web/20091123004134/http://web.deu.edu.tr/atag10/pdf/27-atag10-gursoy.pdf . 23 November 2009 . 2–4 . tr . November 2006 . dead.
  5. Web site: The North Anatolian Fault . Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory . Columbia University . 16 March 2021.
  6. Web site: HAÇİN . İlhan . 1939 ERZİNCAN BÜYÜK DEPREMİ . Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi . March 2014.
  7. Web site: 2010. Major Turkish Earthquakes of the 20th Century. 26 December 2012. MCEER. Buffalo, NY. 4 April 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100404151901/http://mceer.buffalo.edu/infoservice/Reference_Services/turkey-major-earthquakes.asp. dead.
  8. H. Fuenzalida, L. Dorbath, A. Cisternas, H. Eyidogan, A. Barka, L. Rivera, H. Haessler, H. Philip, N. Lyberis . Mechanism of the 1992 Erzincan earthquake and its aftershocks, tectonics of the Erzincan Basin and decoupling on the North Anatolian Fault . Geophysical Journal International . April 1997 . 129 . 1 . 1–28 . 10.1111/j.1365-246X.1997.tb00935.x . 1997GeoJI.129....1F . free .
  9. Gürsoy . Halil . Tatar . Orhan . Akpınar . Zafer . Polat . Ali . Mesci . Levent . Tunçer . Doğan . New observations on the 1939 Erzincan Earthquake surface rupture on the Kelkit Valley segment of the North Anatolian Fault Zone, Turkey . Journal of Geodynamics . 2013 . 65 . 259–271 . 10.1016/j.jog.2012.06.002 . Elsevier. 2013JGeo...65..259G .
  10. Ömer . Emre . Hisao . Kondo . Selim . Özalp . Hasan . Elmaci . Fault geometry, segmentation and slip distribution associated with the 1939 Erzincan Earthquake rupture along the North Anatolian Fault, Turkey . Geological Society, London, Special Publications . 2021 . 501 . 1 . 23–70 . 10.1144/SP501-2019-141. 2021GSLSP.501...23E . 218814351 .
  11. Web site: Erzincan depreminin 80.yıl dönümü! Büyük Erzincan depremi kaç şiddetinde oldu?. 27 December 2019. 31 October 2020. Sabah. https://web.archive.org/web/20191227013543/https://www.sabah.com.tr/yasam/2019/12/26/erzincan-depreminin-80yil-donumu-buyuk-erzincan-depremi-kac-siddetinde-oldu. 27 December 2019. live. tr.
  12. Web site: Tsunami Türkiye'yi de vurmuş. 2020-12-30. Hürriyet. 30 January 2005 . tr.
  13. Stein . Ross S. . Barka . Aykut A. . Dieterich . James H. . Progressive failure on the North Anatolian fault since 1939 by earthquake stress triggering . Geophysical Journal International . 1997 . 128 . 3 . 594–604 . 10.1111/j.1365-246X.1997.tb05321.x. free . 1997GeoJI.128..594S . 52234859 .
  14. Web site: Flight . Tim . The Erzincan Earthquake killed around 33, 000 people on December 26th 1939 . History Collection. 26 December 2018 .
  15. Web site: Ranguelov. Boyko. The Erzincan 1939 Earthquake. 26 December 2012. Second Balkan Geophysical Conference and Exhibition.
  16. News: Cowell . Alan . 1992-03-15 . Turkey Digs Through Quake's Debris . en-US . The New York Times . 2023-02-11 . 0362-4331.
  17. Book: Reitherman, R.. Earthquakes and Engineers: An International History. American Society of Civil Engineers. 2012. 978-0-7844-1071-4. 226–228.

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