1992 Erzincan earthquake
| UTC time | 1992-03-13 17:18:39 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 299638 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 13 March 1992 |
| Local time | 8:18:39 pm |
| Duration | 6–7 seconds |
| Magnitude | Ms 6.8–6.9 Mw 6.6–6.7 mb 6.2 |
| Depth | 20 km (12 mi) |
| Epicenter | 39°43′N 39°36′E / 39.71°N 39.6°E |
| Fault | North Anatolian Fault |
| Type | Strike-slip |
| Areas affected | Erzincan, Turkey |
| Total damage | $500 million – $1.5 billion |
| Max. intensity | MMI IX (Violent) MSK-64 IX (Destructive) |
| Peak acceleration | 0.5 g |
| Tsunami | No |
| Landslides | Yes |
| Aftershocks | Thousands, largest was Ms 5.8 |
| Casualties | 498–950 dead 2,800 injured |
An earthquake struck eastern Turkey near the city of Erzincan at 20:18:39 local time on 13 March 1992. The second major earthquake to hit Erzincan in half a century, it measured 6.6–6.7 on the moment magnitude scale (Mw ). It was assigned a maximum Modified Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent) and EMS-98 intensity of IX (Destructive). The horizontal peak ground acceleration reached 0.5 g, which is near the 1 in 475 year maximum for the area. Two days after the mainshock, a large Ms5.8 aftershock struck Pülümür, causing further damage. Faulting occurred on the North Anatolian Fault where multiple other Mw 8+ earthquakes have occurred.
Financial losses from the earthquake reached $500 million – $1.5 billion. Significant destruction occurred; Erzincan was devastated due to proximity to the epicenter. Damage was amplified due to systemic disregard for the building codes. Over 200 buildings collapsed, and over 15,000 were damaged. Infrastructure, however, remained mostly intact. 498-950 people died and roughly 2,800 were injured.