BINGÖL — 1971 · Major Tragedy
1971 Bingöl Earthquake
At 18:44 local time on the evening of 22 May 1971, a magnitude 6.6 to 6.7 earthquake struck Bingöl. Occurring on the East Anatolian Fault and assessed at intensity IX, the shock destroyed most of the city centre. According to Kandilli Observatory records, 878 people died and 9,111 buildings were destroyed; other sources give a death toll ranging from 755 to 1,000. The evening quake badly damaged public buildings, homes and surrounding villages. Tent camps were set up for survivors and the city was rebuilt over the following years. The earthquake appears in the scientific literature as one of the key events demonstrating the seismic hazard of the East Anatolian Fault. Bingöl was shaken repeatedly by the same fault system in later decades.
- Date
- 1971
- Place
- Central, Bingöl
- Category
- Major Tragedy
- Case Status
- Closed
- Coordinates
- 38.8800, 40.5000 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 22 May 1971A magnitude 6.6–6.7 earthquake strikes at 18:44
- 23 May 1971Rescue work continues for those under the rubble
- June 1971Tent camps are set up for survivors
- 1970sCentral Bingöl is rebuilt
Sources
- Wikipedia — 1971 Bingöl earthquake en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Kandilli Rasathanesi — Türkiye'de hasar yapan büyük depremler koeri.boun.edu.tr ↗
- NOAA NCEI — Significant earthquake: Bingöl 1971 ngdc.noaa.gov ↗
- Wikipedia (EN)
- Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute
- NOAA NCEI
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.