6.6-magnitude earthquake that struck Bartın in northwestern Turkey on September 3, 1968
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake near Bartın killed up to 29 people and generated one of the most notable Black Sea tsunamis of the 20th century.
Key Facts
- Moment magnitude
- 6.3
- Maximum Mercalli Intensity
- VIII (Severe)
- Deaths
- 24–29 people
- Injuries
- 200 people
- Tsunami runup height
- 3 metres
- Inundation distance
- 50–100 metres
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
A thrust fault rupture beneath the Black Sea coastal region of northwestern Turkey produced the seismic event. The area lies within a tectonically active zone where convergent stress accumulation along the western Black Sea margin periodically generates significant earthquakes.
At 10:19:56 local time on September 3, 1968, a moment magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck near Bartın and Amasra in northwestern Turkey, reaching a maximum Mercalli Intensity of VIII. The thrust mechanism displaced the seafloor sufficiently to generate a tsunami in the Black Sea with a runup height of 3 metres.
The earthquake killed between 24 and 29 people and injured approximately 200 others. The resulting tsunami inundated 50–100 metres of shoreline along the Amasra–Çakraz coast and is catalogued as a definite tsunami event, ranking among the most significant Black Sea tsunamis of the 20th century.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 24 (earthquake)
Range: 24 – 29