# The İzmit earthquake (17 August 1999)

URL: https://allhistories.com/turkey/timeline/1999-the-i-zmit-earthquake
Themes: main-event

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck İzmit and the surrounding industrial heartland, killing over 17,000 people. A second quake hit Düzce in November. Greek rescuers' help led to a thaw in Greek–Turkish relations ('earthquake diplomacy'). Poor building standards were widely blamed. The disaster reshaped Turkish politics and building regulations.

## Why it matters
The disaster reshaped Turkish politics and building regulations.

Who Was in Power: [Süleyman Demirel](https://allhistories.com/turkey/rulers/suleyman-demirel)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — 1999 İzmit earthquake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_İzmit_earthquake)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — The İzmit earthquake](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=The+%C4%B0zmit+earthquake)
- [Wikipedia — History of the Republic of Turkey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Republic_of_Turkey)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of Anatolian history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Anatolian_history)