The 17 August 1999 Izmit Earthquake

Abstract

On 17 August 1999, an earthquake of magnitude 7.4 shook northwestern Turkey. Details on the earthquake9s characteristics and effects across northwestern Turkey are provided and are put in the historical context of previous earthquakes in the region. The earthquake was the seventh in a series of earthquakes migrating westwards along the North Anatolian fault since 1939. Information on historical earthquakes, modeling and estimates of the slip rate along the fault indicate that the location and severity of the earthquake should not have come as a surprise.