THE 1668 NORTH ANATOLIA VS THE 2023 TURKEY-SYRIA EARTHQUAKE 

Did you know that in the February 6, 2023 earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria, more than 4,800 people were killed and more than 23,000 people were injured?

As the powerful, deadly earthquake of 6 February 2023 struck and caused widespread damage in Turkey where at least 3,381 people across 10 provinces died and an additional 20,426 were injured, and in Syria where at least 1,451 people were killed and 3,531 injured, we rewind back to 1668 North Anatolia earthquake that is recorded as the most powerful earthquake ever in Turkey, though the number of lives lost then is lower than the 2023 earthquake.

Northern Anatolia in Turkey was struck by a large earthquake on 17 August 1668 in the late morning. It had an estimated magnitude in the range 7.8–8.0 Ms and the maximum felt intensity was IX on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale. The epicenter of the earthquake was on the southern shore of Ladik Lake. It caused widespread damage from at least Bolu in the west to Erzincan in the east and resulted in about 8,000 deaths.

North Anatolia lies across the mainly transform boundary between the Anatolian Plate and the Eurasian Plate. Relative to the Eurasian Plate the Anatolian Plate is being forced westwards by the continuing northward movement of the Arabian Plate... Movement on parts of this fault zone have been responsible for many large and damaging earthquakes... The most recent sequence began with the 1939 Erzincan earthquake, continuing with major earthquakes in 1942, 1943, 1944, 1949, 1951, 1957, 1966, 1967, 1992 and two in 1999.

The 1668 earthquake is regarded as probably the first in a mainly westward propagating sequence that continued into the 19th century, including events in 1719, 1754, 1766, 1859 and 1893. In the 1668 earthquake, the town of Bolu was reported to be almost completely destroyed by the earthquake, with 1,800 fatalities. There was also severe damage further east along the fault, with another 6,000 reported casualties between Merzifon and Niksar. Some damage was also reported from as far east as Erzincan and at various locations along the Black Sea coast. The walls and towers of Samsun Castle were damaged and some parts of the structure "were demolished".

Fast forward to 6 February 2023. With a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent) and a magnitude of at least Mww 7.8, the earthquake is tied with the 1939 Erzincan earthquake as the strongest instrumentally recorded earthquake to hit Turkey in modern times, while possibly being surpassed by the 1668 North Anatolia earthquake. It is also the deadliest earthquake to strike the country since the 1999 İzmit earthquake.

The 2023 earthquake was followed by numerous aftershocks, the strongest of which had a magnitude of Mww 7.5. The aftershock occurred 9 hours later, 4 km (2.5 mi) south–southeast of Ekinözü in Kahramanmaraş Province at 13:24 TRT (10:24 UTC). It also had a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX. As a result of the earthquakes, more than 4,800 people were killed and more than 23,000 were injured.

In Turkey, at least 3,381 people across 10 provinces died and an additional 20,426 were injured. Some people who were trapped under rubble livestreamed their pleas for help on social media.

In the aftermath, though early reports from Turkish authorities said more than 5,600 buildings were destroyed, including a state hospital in the city of Iskenderun, however a total of around 6,217 buildings collapsed in ten provinces across the country. Several tens of thousands of people across Turkey and Syria were left homeless and spent the night in cold weather. Mosques in Turkey were used as shelters for people unable to return to their homes amid freezing temperatures. In Gaziantep, people sought refuge in shopping malls, stadiums, community centers, and mosques.

In Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, 46 buildings collapsed. The Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums said various archeological sites across the city were extensively cracked or collapsed. In Rajo, a prison facility experienced cracked walls and doors. At least 20 prisoners, believed to be ISIS members, escaped the facility. In Hama, an eight-story building collapsed, trapping 125 people inside. In Damascus, many people fled from their homes onto the streets. Many buildings in Syria had already been damaged by an almost 12-year-long civil war. The Crusader-built castle Margat suffered damage, with part of a tower and parts of some walls collapsing. The Citadel of Aleppo was also affected. A total of 490 adobe buildings had partially or fully collapsed, while thousands of others were damaged in northwestern Syria.

Source:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Turkey%E2%80%93Syria_earthquake