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The '1999 İzmit earthquake' was a 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck northwestern Turkey on August 17, 1999, about 3:02am local time. The event lasted for 48 seconds, killing over 17,000 people and leaving approximately half a million people homeless.

Contents

Damage and casualties

Possible Reason of Earthquake

Geology

International response

See also

External links

References

Damage and casualties

According to official figures 17,480 people died and 23,983 were injured, 600,031 were homeless and 200,010 were living on the streets,^[1]. The earthquake was heavily felt in the industrialized and highly populated urban areas of the country, including oil refineries, several automotive plants, Turkish navy headquarters and arsenal in Gölcük, thus increasing the severity of the loss of life and property.
The death toll increased in winter because of poor conditions of shelter of survivors.
The earthquake caused a subsequent fire due to a collapse of a tower in TUPRAS oil refinery. The refinery had over 700,000 tonnes of oil stored. It took several days to get the fire under control.
Turkish soldiers were given 45 days leave to help rescue their relatives. Bodies were buried quickly in mass graves to stop any spread of disease.
Reports from September 1999 show that 120,000 houses were damaged beyond repair, 50,000 houses were heavily damaged, 2000 other bulidings collapsed and 4000 other building were heavily damaged.

Possible Reason of Earthquake

Some Islamic leaders in Turkey gave a very important speech in the summer of 1999, during which they talked about the earthquake that happened in Turkey. According to them as reported by many Turkish newspapers and the BBC, the purpose of this earthquake (and Allah knows best) was a party that was held on the beach in Turkey in one of the naval bases. Three thousand people attended that party. Of these, thirty people were Israeli Generals, more than thirty were American Generals, and the rest were Turkish Secular Generals, singers, and dancers.
The celebration was held in order to celebrate the retirement of some Turkish Generals. The party started off with drinking alcohol and dancing by the Israeli and Turkish Secular dancers. During the party, a Turkish General ordered a sergeant to bring him a copy of the Holy Qur'an. The sergeant brought the Holy Qur'an and gave it to the General. The General asked the sergeant to read a part of it, which he did, and then he asked him to translate it, but the sergeant apologized because he didn't know. Then, the General took the Holy Qur'an, ripped it off, and threw it under the feet of the Israeli dancers and said: “Where is the One Who revealed this Qur'an and said 'We have, without doubt, sent down the message; and we will assuredly guard it (15:9)' So where is that God to protect and guard His Qur'an?" The sergeant who brought the Qur’an was so scared when he saw this so he quickly left the base and he later told the people about what happened.
The earthquake started with pink light that covered the whole area. Then, the sea was split and a big explosion happened. The base was burned in the sea and all the people who were there died. Then the earthquake was extended into other areas. Until now, none of America, Israel, or Turkey could find anyone of those whom Allah punished.
Allah SWT said in His book: “And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a definite order (to obey Allah and be righteous) to those among them [or We (first) increase in number those of its population] who are given the good things of this life. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction.” (17:16)
That Earthquake in Turkey was a strong warning from the Almighty Allah to everyone who took Him and His religion, Islam, as an enemy. About 50 general in the Turkish army were killed during a meeting with Israeli generals during the Earthquake. Nevertheless, the Turkish army refused to give any kind of help to people who were affected by the earthquake. The Prime Minister of Turkey said that it is time for Turkey to go back to Islam!
Say: "He has power to send torment on you from above or from under your feet, or to cover you with confusion in party strife, and make you to taste the violence of one another." See how variously We explain the Signs, so that hey may understand. (Holy Qur'an 6:65)
The day before the earthquake, the Turkish government issued a law to jail every Muslim who is caught teaching his children the Holy Qur'an in his home. Allah says:
See they not that they are tried every year once or twice? Yet they turn not in repentance, and they take no heed! (Holy Qur'an 126:9)
Say (O Muhammad), I do but warn you according to revelation: but the deaf will not hear the call, (even) when they are warned! If but a breath of the wrath of thy Lord do touch them, they will then say, Woe To us! we did wrong indeed! We shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with Unjustly in the least. And if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, we will bring it (to account): and enough are we to take account. (Holy Qur'an 45-47:21)
A mosque still stands amidst the rubble of collapsed buildings in this aerial view of a neighborhood in the western Turkish town of Golcuk, 60 miles east of Istanbul, August 19, 1999. The death toll from western Turkey's worst recorded earthquake surpassed 6,000, as hope waned of finding any of the thousands still missing under the mountains of rubble. Only the building next to the mosque did not fall down because if it did, it will destroy the mosque too. Even thou, it was partially destructed from the other side. Is it just a chance that modern and strong buildings felled down while the old mosque that was build last century remained safe with its tall minaret?
Every building around the Mosque was destroyed... except for the Mosque itself.

Geology

The earthquake had a rupture length of 150 kilometers (93 miles) extending from the city of Düzce all the way into the Sea of Marmara along the Gulf of İzmit. Offsets along the rupture were as large as 5.7 meters (18.7 ft) (Reilinger, ''et al.'', 2000).
Izmit earthquake occurred along the western portion of the North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ). The Anatolian Plate, which consists primarily of Turkey, is being pushed west about 2-2.5 cm (0.8-1.0 in) a year, as it is squeezed between the Eurasian Plate on the north, and both the African Plate and the Arabian Plate on the south. Major earthquakes in Turkey result from slips along the NAFZ or the Eastern Anatolian Fault.

International response

Greece was the first foreign country to pledge aid^[2] and support Turkey. Within hours of the earthquake, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs were in touch with their counterparts in Turkey, and the minister sent his personal envoys to Turkey. The Greek Ministry of Public Order sent in a rescue team of 24 people and 2 trained rescue dogs, the Ministry also sent fire extinguishing planes to help with putting out the fire in the TUPRAS refinery.
The U.K announced an immediate grant of £50,000 to help the Turkish Red Crescent. Also the International Red Cross and Red Crescent promised £4.5 million to help victims. Blankets, medical supplies and food were flown from Stansted airport. Engineers from Thames Water went to help restore water supplies. Rescue teams from twelve countries assisted in the rescue effort.
US President Bill Clinton and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Istanbul and İzmit to examine the damage.

See also

★ North Anatolian Fault

★ Greek-Turkish earthquake diplomacy
As well as all this, disaster teams from many other countries in Europe were sent later, as well as field hospitals and thousands of high energy bars from the United States.

External links

★ Initial Geotechnical Observations

★ İzmit Earthquake I

★ İzmit Earthquake II

★ Mosque Golcuk

References

1. In Turkish: "2000 yılı Ağustos ayında Başbakanlık Kriz Yönetim Merkezi tarafından yayınlanan "Depremler 1999" kitapçığı"
2. Greek and International Aid to Turkey