Earthquake disaster in Turkey

On August 17, 1999 at 03:04 am, an earthquake of 7.4 richter scale
struck the Marmara region, one of the most populated areas in Turkey. The
center of impact was Gulcuk, about 150 km east of Istanbul. The result
was the destruction of the cities Gulcuk, Izmit, Adapazari and Yalova.
Many casualties were also reported in the cities Istanbul, Bolu, Eskisehir
and Bursa.

Two weeks after the disaster the number of casualties was
estimated to be 50,000, of them 20,000 fatalities and another 20,000
people missing. The earthquake significantly damaged the infrastructure of
the cities including that of the health system. Many local medical
personnel were either wounded, dead or trying to rescue their own
families. Most of the medical facilities were either destroyed or badly
damaged, making the remaining medical team ineffective. Countries all over
the world offerred and sent aid, which included professional search and
rescue teams, medical staff and equipment, and vast amounts of supplies.
Individuals and teams of volunteers from Turkey and abroad joined either
their country delegations or local medical facilities.

Adapazari, the major city of the Sakarya, located in the Anatolion part of
the Marmara region, has a population of approximately 400,000 citizens.
The city was established in 1943, after a major earthquake destroyed the
whole existing city. In 1948 and 1967 other eartquakes struck the city but
the casualities were relatively few. The city is one of the major
industrial centers in Turkey hosting many big factories and their
personnel.

The disaster hit the city at 03:04 hrs when the inhabitants were sleeping
and this contributed to the high number of casualties, 2680 fatalities and
approximately 5300 injured only in the city of Adapazari. Arround 100,000
buildings, 70% of the buildings of the city were either totally destroyed
or damaged beyond repair during the earthquake. The extent of the damage
is such that the government is considering rebuilding the city 15 km from
the original site. The electricity, water and communication systems were
damaged leaving the city services severely compromised. The main highway
was closed due to crossover cracks and the collapse of a bridge. The roads
within the city were also blocked because of collapsed buildings.

Following the preliminary rescue efforts, the inhabitants started leaving
the city, decreasing the population to an estimated 40,000 people, about
10% of its original population. Most of the remaining inhabitants moved to
tents provided by different organizations especially Kizilay, the Turkish
Red Cross. "Tent cities" were scattered all over the city, but only after
several days they provided necessities, such as mobile lavatories and hot
meals.