Izmit 1999
Events of earthquake
Over 60000 residential buildings
and 10000 businesses were destroyed.
An earthquake with a depth of
17 km and with its epicentre at
about 11km from Izmit.
The earthquake measured 7.4
on the richter scale.
Hundreds of schools and
hospitals were damaged.
protecting buildings for earthquakes
Engineers have made it that the structures have flexibility and ductility.
Steel bars are added to brittle concrete during construction to increase its ductility.
Buildings can be cut away or isolated from the ground, letting the ground shake under them.
Other buildings are put on
springs and rubber pads.
Why did the buldings fall
Older buildings made of
solid material withstood it.
Mud brick structures folded
like card houses.
65% of buildings in Turkey
were constructed without
an official permit.
Cheaply build housing
was mainly responsible
for the high death toll.
Rebuilding Izmit
After the earthquake tent cities were
set up to house the homeless.
Those who stayed tried to rebuild the area.
Those who had homes were
afraid to go outside of an aftershock.
If the city's building had been
more shock absorbent there
wouldn't have been as much damage.