December 20, 1942 Earthquake: Niksar, Erbaa, Turkey

Name: December 20, 1942 Earthquake: Niksar, Erbaa, Turkey
Start: 1942-12-20
Location: Niksar, Erbaa, Turkey

December 20, 1942 · M7 · 1,000 deaths

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck Niksar, Erbaa, Turkey on December 20, 1942 at 14:03:09 UTC, 10 km below the surface. It killed 1,000 people.

Map

Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.

The earthquake

Date: December 20, 1942
Time: 14:03:09 UTC
Place: Niksar, Erbaa, Turkey
Magnitude: 7 (Mw)
Focal depth: 10 km (6 mi)
Intensity: 10 on the Modified Mercalli scale
Tsunami: None recorded
Epicenter: 40.907° N, 36.744° E
Country: Turkey

The toll

Deaths: 1,000
Damage: Extreme (about $25 million or more)

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Reference #45 lists epicenter 40 N, 37 E, 1000 deaths and extreme damage.

Reference #1071 lists epicenter 40.7 N, 36.8 E, magnitude 7.3 and severe damage.

Reference #1138 lists epicenter 40.9 N, 36.5 E, depth 33 km, magnitude 7.3, MMI X, 1100 deaths.

Reference #1141 lists epicenter 40.7 N, 36.8 E, magnitude 7.3, MMI IX, 3000 deaths, extreme damage.

Reference #10476 (v 9.1) lists 14:03:09.06 UTC, 40.907 N, 36.744 E, magnitude 7 Mw

Reference #1250 lists 3000 deaths

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 1942 The 1900s Every quake the USGS located in 1942 Recent earthquakes near here This day in weather history

Sources

Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 3725.