KÜTAHYA — 1970 · Major Tragedy
The Gediz Earthquake: A Town Destroyed at Night
Around 23:02 on 28 March 1970 a magnitude 7.2 earthquake centred on Gediz in Kütahya Province struck while most residents were at home. Most adobe and masonry buildings collapsed and fires added to the damage. Official records list 1,086 dead, thousands injured and tens of thousands left homeless. The town centre was so badly damaged that Gediz was later rebuilt several kilometres away. The disaster became a symbol in debates on building safety and rural housing in western Anatolia and fed into revisions of Turkey's seismic hazard maps.
- Date
- 1970
- Place
- Gediz, Kütahya
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 39.0040, 29.4140 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 28 March 1970A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit Gediz at about 23:02.
- 29 March 1970The scale of destruction became clear; rescue work and tent camps began.
- April 1970The death toll was recorded as 1,086.
- 1970-1972Gediz town centre was moved to a new site.
Sources
- Vikipedi: 1970 Gediz depremi tr.wikipedia.org ↗
- Wikipedia: 1970 Gediz earthquake en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Turkish Wikipedia
- Wikipedia
- Kandilli Observatory records
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.