The Material damage
With the 1999 Turkey earthquake on August 17th in Izmit reaching 7.4 on the richter scale, it was a terrifying time for both owners of buildings, businesses and many households. Officials from the Anatolian news agency suggested that more than four thousand buildings were severely damage. As this town was in a devastation state, many who survive this large earthquake were standing and sleeping on streets of fear for another quake. As there is tents being set up near parks, street corners and ruins, it is believed after a week at least one third of Izmits residents are still sleeping rough. About a week after the quake one survivor said, “I feel like I’m dead too, I’m living in a dead city”, and winter is just around the corner and I have no clothes. (The Courier Mail, August 1999, Pg 4)
The Effects
People and man-made structures are the most vulnerable to earth-quakes whereas wide open spaces are much less vulnerable. The direct effects of an earthquake are also often far less devastating and life-threatening then the secondary effects such as fire, landslides, famines and epidemics. It is therefore much more dangerous to be in a city then in the surrounding countryside, both during and after an earthquake.
Reports of the Izmit earthquake claimed that the ground had cracked open and swallowed up entire buildings or settlements. A more logical explanation is that landslides or rock falls were responsible. Even in open country, some places are clearly safer than others.
When you stamp repeatedly on a patch of wet sand on a beach, it immediately becomes wet, loses its cohesion and the area of the point of impact becomes a miniature quick-sand. The sand has liquefied in response to the vibrations caused by stamping. Shock-waves produced by the earthquakes cause liquefaction on a ground scale with spectacular effects on buildings. Elsewhere, different grain sizes of different types of shock-wave vibration can cause sand and water to spit out in little cones called sand boils, that look like little volcanoes and may reach up to 30 cm high.
Human Costs
One of the biggest effects of an earthquake is loss of human life. As it has already been discussed earthquake themselves pose very little threat. Serious injury or death is caused mainly by the collapse of buildings or other man-made structures, such as roads and bridges. In Izmit, Turkey, it was estimated that forty thousand people were killed, thousands injured, at least hundreds of thousands homeless and the phone lines, running water and electricity were all out. This was a place no one wanted to be! A Urologist ‘Levent Ozdal,’ arrived with a surgical team from Ankara and was told to report to the Adapazari hospital but unfortunately operating theatres were out of action in the hospital and Levent’s surgical team was forced to attempt first aid work in the hospital car park. This was essential as many people were injured and needed treatment as soon as possible.
When looking at Izmit earthquake in Turkey in 1999 it is clear to see that it was the most sudden, unpredictable and certainly terrifying event on earth! With the Izmit earthquake happening without any warning, one may suggest the damage was double. After observing the causes, the material damage, the effects and the human costs, it is clear to see that the Izmit earthquake will not be forgotten in Turkey for many years to come.
