Türkiye commemorates victims of 1999 earthquake on 26th year

KOCAELİ

Thousands of people on Aug. 17 gathered across the Marmara Region to commemorate those who lost their lives in the 1999 earthquake to mark the 26th anniversary of one of the deadliest disasters in the country.

Centered in Kocaeli’s Gölcük district, the 7.4 magnitude earthquake also hit Düzce, Sakarya, Yalova and the coastal districts of Istanbul on Aug. 17, 1999.

Lasting 45 seconds, the catastrophe killed 17,480 people and triggered heightened seismic concerns, particularly for Istanbul, the country’s most populous city.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan took to social media to commemorate the victims of the quake.

"Even today, we still feel in our hearts the pain of our citizens who lost their lives in the Aug. 17, 1999 Marmara earthquake,” he wrote.

“On the anniversary of this great tragedy, I pray for God’s mercy upon those who lost their lives and once again extend my condolences to their families and relatives.”

Commemorative ceremonies were held at monuments bearing the names of the deceased at 3:02 a.m., the exact time the earthquake struck.

At the epicenter in Gölcük, wreaths were laid at the monument, followed by a moment of silence.

Gölcük Mayor Ali Yıldırım Sezer told reporters that, even after 26 years, the pain of the disaster remains vivid.

In Istanbul’s Beylikdüzü district, particularly along Kavaklı Beach — partially submerged after the quake — videos depicting those harrowing days were screened.

Similar ceremonies were organized in Sakarya, where survivors and relatives of the deceased could not hold back their tears.

In Yalova, where 2,504 people lost their lives, the commemoration began with a silent march through the city square, concluding at an earthquake monument.

The memorial events continued at the monument, where visitors viewed photographs of the disaster displayed in “the 03:02 a.m. and 45-second exhibition rooms,” referring to the time and the duration of the quake.

As a country situated on active fault lines, Türkiye faces a significant seismic threat in many regions.

On Feb. 6, 2023, two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.7 and 7.6 struck the southern part of the country, killing more than 53,000 people.

More recently, moderate quakes in western regions have continued to fuel concern. Istanbul, with its population of nearly 16 million and a large stock of aging buildings, remains particularly vulnerable, making its earthquake risk a subject of ongoing debate.