World Map › Major Earthquakes Since 1900 › 1939
Historic Earthquake
Erzincan Earthquake of 1939
26 December 1939 · Erzincan · Turkey
On 26 December 1939 at 23:57 UTC, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Turkey (Erzincan), at a depth of 20 km. It occurred on the Eurasian Plate, 35 km from its boundary with the Anatolian Plate (continental transform fault). It killed at least 32,700 people and injured 100,000. 120,000 homes were destroyed. It is the 15th deadliest of the earthquakes recorded since 1900.
- Date
- 26 December 1939
- Time
- 23:57 UTC
- Magnitude
- 7.8
- Depth
- 20 km
- Maximum Intensity
- XII (Mercalli)
- Deaths
- 32,700
- Injuries
- 100,000
- Homes Destroyed
- 120,000
- Estimated Damage
- 20 million US dollars
- Tsunami
- See the tsunami (0.5 m wave)
- Plate
- Eurasian Plate
- Country
- Turkey
Nearby Major Earthquakes
Other major earthquakes recorded within 300 km.
- 20232023 Turkey–Syria Earthquakes · M 7.5
- 1992Erzincan Earthquake of 1992 · M 6.9653 deaths
- 1983Erzurum Earthquake of 1983 · M 6.91,342 deaths
- 19661966 Varto Earthquake · M 6.82,394 deaths
- 1949Karlıova Earthquake of 1949 · M 6.8320 deaths
- 1942Niksar–Erbaa Earthquake of 1942 · M 7.01,000 deaths
- 19241924 Pasinler Earthquake · M 6.860 deaths
- 1916Turkey · M 7.0
Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Significant Earthquake Database (doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K) · Wikidata · Bird (2003), PB2002 · Natural Earth