April 19, 1878 Earthquake: Izmit, Esme, Labinia, Turkey

1878, April 19. Sapanca. At 21h there was a locally destructive earthquake in the district of Lake Sapanca in northwestern Turkey. The region of heavy damage included Izmit, where most stone-masonry houses were damaged and some collapsed, together with four mosques. Labinia and Esme were destroyed; 40 people were killed and 500 injured. In Sapanca many houses collapsed, with casualties, and in Adapazari and Akyazi a few houses were destroyed and some lives were lost. The total losses in Izmit alone were estimated at 400,000 british pounds. Slight damage extended to Bursa, Geyve and Iznik. The shock was felt in Istanbul and was perceptible in Thrace.

Ships of the British fleet at anchor in the Gulf of Izmit experienced a series of powerful shocks that caused great concern, and the sea in their neighbourhood became agitated. There is no evidence of a seismic sea wave. In other parts of the Gulf of Izmit further west, the shock set up a sea wave, which propagated into the Sea of Marmara, where the earthquake was also felt onboard ships.

Aftershocks continued until 16 May.

(above from reference #9116)

1878, April 19, 09h. 40.8N, 29 E, intensity IX, magnitude 6.7. A disastrous shock in the Marmara region, the town Izmit (Esme) was destroyed, 40 victims, at lzmit several stone-built houses were destroyed, the others were damaged, 4 mosques collapsed, houses were thrown down also at Sapanca, felt at Bursa and also on the European side of the Bosporus, rather strong tsunami at Izmit; damage in the region of Bursa-Izmit and Sapanca, houses fissured in Istanbul, felt over all the Marmara region. (reference #1099)

1878, April 19. Asia Minor, Ismid, Esme, Sapardjia. Intensity III which corresponds to an earthquake which destroyed towns and devastated districts. (reference #1055)

1878, April 19, 09h. 40.8N, 29E, intensity IX. (reference #1149)

1878, April 19, 09h. 40.7N, 29.7E, moment magnitude 6.6. (reference #4408)