1970 Gediz earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1970 Gediz earthquake, aka 1970 Kütahya-Gediz earthquake, was an approximately 7.2 magnitude
earthquake
that struck western Turkey
on March 28, 1970 at about 23:05 local time.
The event killed 1,086 people and left 1,260 people wounded and many thousands homeless in Gediz
,. a district of Kütahya Province
situated 98 km (60.9 mi) southeast of Kütahya
. Many people were burnt alive as fires broke out from overturned stoves. 9,452 buildings in the region were severely damaged or destroyed.
The town of Gediz, home to repeated natural disasters like earthquakes and flood
s, was relocated following a government resolution soon after the destruction to a new place 7 km (4.3 mi) away on the road to Uşak
under the name "Yeni Gediz" (literally: New Gediz). The residents moved in their newly built, earthquake-resistant homes. Neighboring towns and villages were also rebuilt at places with relative minimum earthquake risk
.
Major earthquakes in the history of Gediz were in 1866 and 1896. On June 25, 1944 at 07:20 local time, an 6.0 magnitude earthquake occurred in Gediz killing 20 people and damaging around 3,500 buildings.
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
that struck western Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
on March 28, 1970 at about 23:05 local time.
The event killed 1,086 people and left 1,260 people wounded and many thousands homeless in Gediz
Gediz, Kütahya
Gediz is a town and district of Kütahya Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 77,483 of which 19,375 live in the town of Gediz.-External links:*...
,. a district of Kütahya Province
Kütahya Province
Kütahya Province is a province in the Aegean region of Turkey. It is 11,889 km² in size, and the population is 590,496 . In 1990, Kütahya had a population of 578,020.-Districts:...
situated 98 km (60.9 mi) southeast of Kütahya
Kütahya
Kütahya is a city in western Turkey with 212,444 inhabitants , lying on the Porsuk river, at 969 metres above sea level. It is the capital of Kütahya Province, inhabited by some 517 804 people...
. Many people were burnt alive as fires broke out from overturned stoves. 9,452 buildings in the region were severely damaged or destroyed.
The town of Gediz, home to repeated natural disasters like earthquakes and flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
s, was relocated following a government resolution soon after the destruction to a new place 7 km (4.3 mi) away on the road to Uşak
Usak
Uşak is a city in the interior part of the Aegean Region of Turkey. The city has a population of 180,414 and is the capital of Uşak Province. The mayor is Ali Erdoğan ....
under the name "Yeni Gediz" (literally: New Gediz). The residents moved in their newly built, earthquake-resistant homes. Neighboring towns and villages were also rebuilt at places with relative minimum earthquake risk
Urban seismic risk
Urban seismic risk is a subset of the general term seismic risk which describes the problems specific to centers of population when they are subjected to earthquakes. Many risks can be minimised with good earthquake construction, and seismic analysis...
.
Major earthquakes in the history of Gediz were in 1866 and 1896. On June 25, 1944 at 07:20 local time, an 6.0 magnitude earthquake occurred in Gediz killing 20 people and damaging around 3,500 buildings.