Elazığ–Sivrice earthquake of 2020 — 6.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Elazığ in eastern Turkey on January 24, 2020
A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck Elazığ Province in eastern Turkey, killing 41 people and injuring over 1,600 in January 2020.
Key Facts
- Magnitude
- 6.7 Mw
- Deaths
- 41 people
- Injuries
- More than 1,600 people
- Epicentre
- Near Sivrice, Elazığ Province
- Local time of strike
- 20:55 (17:55 UTC)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Eastern Turkey lies within a seismically active zone where tectonic plate movements along major fault systems regularly produce significant seismic activity. Elazığ Province is situated near fault lines associated with the East Anatolian Fault Zone, making the region prone to destructive earthquakes.
On 24 January 2020, at 20:55 local time, a 6.7 Mw earthquake struck near the town of Sivrice in Elazığ Province, eastern Turkey. Tremors were felt across neighbouring provinces of Diyarbakır, Malatya, and Adıyaman, as well as in Armenia, Syria, and Iran.
The earthquake killed 41 people and injured more than 1,600. The disaster prompted emergency response efforts across the affected region, with damage concentrated in Elazığ Province and surrounding areas experiencing significant shaking.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 41 (earthquake)