MANISA — 1969 · Major Tragedy
The Alaşehir Earthquake: A Pre-Dawn Shock
At 03:48 local time on 28 March 1969 a magnitude 6.7–6.8 earthquake struck at a depth of about 10 km near Alaşehir in Manisa Province. The shaking caused heavy damage to villages and towns along the Gediz graben. Records list 53 dead, around 50 injured and 4,651 homes and workplaces destroyed or badly damaged. The quake underlined how active the region's faults are; exactly one year later, on 28 March 1970, a far more destructive earthquake would hit nearby Gediz. It is remembered as an early example documenting the fragility of rural building stock in the Aegean.
- Date
- 1969
- Place
- Alaşehir, Manisa
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 38.3500, 28.5170 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 28 March 1969An earthquake struck near Alaşehir at 03:48.
- 28 March 1969Destruction and deaths were reported in villages.
- April 1969Surveys found 4,651 buildings destroyed or badly damaged.
- 28 March 1970A year later the Gediz earthquake hit the same region.
Sources
- Vikipedi: 1969 Alaşehir depremi tr.wikipedia.org ↗
- Wikipedia: 1969 Alaşehir earthquake en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Turkish Wikipedia
- Wikipedia
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.