October 6, 1944 Earthquake: Ayvalik, Turkey
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Ayvalik, Turkey on October 6, 1944 at 02:34:47 UTC. It killed 30 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
- October 6, 1944
- Time
- 02:34:47 UTC
- Place
- Ayvalik, Turkey
- Magnitude
- 6.7 (Mw)
- Intensity
- 9 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 39.509° N, 26.587° E
- Country
- Turkey
The toll
- Deaths
- 30
- Damage
- Extreme (about $25 million or more)
- Houses destroyed
- 5,500
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.
October 6, 1944, 02:34.6 UTC, 39 N, 27 E, western Turkey, destructive in Ayvalik and Burhonize regions, approximately 50 killed and some property damage. (reference #45)
October 6, 1944, 02:34:41 UTC, 39.4 N, 26.7 E, Ayvalik. (reference #1071)
October 6, 1944, 39.4 N, 26.7 E, magnitude 7.2, intensity IX, 30 deaths, 5500 houses demolished. (reference #1141)
October 6, 1944, 04:34, Ayvalik (Balikesir), magnitude 6.8 MS, intensity IX, 30 deaths, 5500 houses damaged. (reference #1251)
October 6, 1944, Turkey, 27 killed. (reference #1250)
October 6, 1944, 02:34:47.63 UTC, 39.509 N, 26.587 E, magnitude 6.74 Mw. (reference #10476)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- July 10, 1668, Turkey
- July 10, 1688, Izmir, Turkey
- October 15, 1883, Ayvalik, Izmir, Cesme, Turkey
- April 3, 1881, Cesme, Khios, Turkey, Greece
- September 10, 1509, Istanbul, Turkey
- August 9, 1912, Marmara Sea, Turkey
- 688, Izmir, Turkey
- March 18, 1953, Yenice, Onon, Turkey
- March 7, 1867, Izmir, Mitilini, Turkey, Greece
- August 6, 1384, Lesbos, Greece
- March 31, 1928, Tepekoy, Torbali, Turkey
- October 30, 2020, Izmir, Samos, Turkey, Greece
- March 28, 1969, Alasehir, Sarigol, Kiraz, Turkey
- September 21, 1939, Turkey
- 1577, Balikesir, Turkey
More
Significant earthquakes of 1944The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1944Recent earthquakes near hereThis 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 3789.