Tsunamis in 1999

August 17, 1999 Tsunami: Kocaeli, Turkey

August 17, 1999 · 2.52 m · 17,118 deaths · $20 billion · Definite tsunami

A tsunami caused by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake began at Kocaeli, Turkey on August 17, 1999 at 00:01:39 UTC. The water rose as high as 2.52 meters. Its effects were recorded at 26 places. It killed 17,118 people, counting the earthquake or eruption that caused it.

Where the waves reached

The source (white) and every runup with a place, colored by the water height recorded there. A ring is a runup NCEI marks doubtful.

  • Under 1 m
  • 1 to 3 m
  • 3 to 10 m
  • 10 to 30 m
  • 30 m and more
  • Height not recorded

Tsunami warnings in force

The tsunami

Date
August 17, 1999, 00:01:39 UTC
Source
Kocaeli, Turkey
Cause
Earthquake
Maximum water height
2.52 m (8.3 ft)
Runups recorded
26
Waters
Ocean
How certain
Definite tsunami
Source location
40.760° N, 29.970° E

The toll

Deaths
155; 17,118 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Injuries
50,000 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Damage
Moderate (about $1 to $5 million); $20 billion with the earthquake or eruption that caused it
Houses damaged
50,000 with the earthquake or eruption that caused it

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.

About 3:00 am local time. The tsunami was generated along the coast of Izmit Bay, Marmara Sea, rather than in the Black Sea. Several survey teams visited the site for more information on effects and run-ups. Dr. Jose Borerro (University of Southern California) provided information to Lander et al. (Reference #1315).

Surface-breaking faults of this earthquake was within the semi-enclosed Izmit Bay basin forming a limited marine area. Furthermore, as secondary effects, coastal subsidence, landslides and ground liquefaction, even they are not the main triggering factors of this tsunami, possibly made tsunami waves more complicated and destructive. As a consequence, the cause of the Izmit tsunami was tectonic. Its origin was on the E-W trending tectonic deformation along the basin closer to the southern

coast. The tsunami waves possibly became more complicated by sudden local subsidences along the coastal areas. (Reference #1403).

Every runup

Nearest the source first. Heights are above sea level at the time; a tide gauge reads half the wave’s full height.

WhereCountryKm from sourceWater height, mInland, mMeasured byFirst wave, UTCDeaths
Izmit, MarinaTurkey325Eyewitness observation of water height
SeymenTurkey850Eyewitness observation of water height
KavakliTurkey9300Eyewitness observation of water height
Cene SuyuTurkey10260Runup height, post-tsunami survey
Derince PortTurkey122.5Runup height, post-tsunami survey
Kiler PointTurkey172.520Runup height, post-tsunami survey
HalidereTurkey180.860Runup height, post-tsunami survey
YalikentTurkey201.6Eyewitness observation of water height
DegirmendereTurkey202.535Runup height, post-tsunami survey
Yarimca (Gubretas) PierTurkey202.560Runup height, post-tsunami survey
KorfezTurkey202.5100Runup height, post-tsunami survey
KirazliyaliTurkey232.5Runup height, post-tsunami survey
UlasliTurkey2425Runup height, post-tsunami survey5
SirinyaliTurkey252.515Runup height, post-tsunami survey
Guzelyali (Eregli)Turkey271.254Runup height, post-tsunami survey
Defne MahallesiTurkey281.54Runup height, post-tsunami survey
HerekeTurkey291.830Runup height, post-tsunami survey
KaramurselTurkey311.25Runup height, post-tsunami survey
TavsancilTurkey341.530Runup height, post-tsunami survey
KaytazdereTurkey3515Eyewitness observation of water height
DilovasiTurkey382Runup height, post-tsunami survey
HersekTurkey3930Eyewitness observation of water height
Offshore TopcularTurkey45Eyewitness observation of water height
EskihisarTurkey46115Runup height, post-tsunami survey
TopcularTurkey472Runup height, post-tsunami survey
DaricaTurkey4814Runup height, post-tsunami survey

Photos

From the NCEI/WDS Natural Hazards Image Database (doi:10.7289/V5154F01). Only photos by the USGS and NOAA, which are public domain, are shown.

Duzce
Duzce Duzce is east of Sakarya/Adapazari. It was struck by a second earthquake (Mw 7.1) on November 12, 1999, that killed at least 619 people. Between Adapazari and Duzce. The brick structure on the right performed well. The reinforced concrete frame brick-infilled building slid into the brick structure causing "blunt" damage. (This photograph was taken through… Photo: NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.
Sakarya/Adapazari
Sakarya/Adapazari The ground floor of this brick infill building was occupied. Note how the concrete in two of the columns has disintegrated. The rest of the columns were able to carry the redistributed load. Sakarya is to the east of Izmit, north of Arifiye, and west of Duzce. The provincial capital of Sakarya is Adapazari. Photo: NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.
Sakarya/Adapazari
Sakarya/Adapazari The structure in the center was heavily damaged, losing most of the brick infill. The first, and probably the second story, collapsed in this structure. Sakarya is to the east of Izmit, north of Arifiye, and west of Duzce. The provincial capital of Sakarya is Adapazari. Photo: NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.
Sakarya/Adapazari
Sakarya/Adapazari The bottom of a mat foundation of a tipped building (right side of photograph). This type of foundation is made by pouring concrete over a mat of pebbles. The soil has failed due to liquefaction. Sakarya is to the east of Izmit, north of Arifiye, and west of Duzce. The provincial capital of Sakarya is Adapazari. Photo: NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.
Sakarya/Adapazari
Sakarya/Adapazari The whole building collapsed due to soil failure (liquefaction) and a first story collapse. The collapse totally blocked the road. The brick structure remained intact with no observable cracking. Note that surrounding buildings appear undamaged. Sakarya is to the east of Izmit, north of Arifiye, and west of Duzce. The provincial capital of Sakarya is… Photo: NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.
Sakarya/Adapazari
Sakarya/Adapazari A three-story wood-frame structure built in the early 1900s. The ground floor received the heaviest damage. The gentleman with the blue coat and white hat is the owner. Before the earthquake, he was planning to renovate the structure. Sakarya is to the east of Izmit, north of Arifiye, and west of Duzce. The provincial capital of Sakarya is Adapazari. Photo: NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.
TEM-Arifiye
TEM-Arifiye Demolition crews are removing the collapsed Arifiye overpass that crosses the TEM (Trans-European Motorway). It used to be a four span overpass. The view is looking at the south abutment that is a natural abutment, and is not composed of artificial fill. TEM is the Trans-European Motorway. This section leads from Izmit towards Arifiye and just south of… Photo: NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.
Kocaeli/Izmit
Kocaeli/Izmit This column damage occurred in one plant of a four-plant complex at the Aksoy aluminum shaping factory near Izmit. The structure was a prefabricated, concrete-frame structure. It was under construction; the prefabricated beams were connected to the columns. This site is only a few kilometers to the north of the surface trace of the fault rupture. Photo: NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.
Yuvacik
Yuvacik Yuvacik is south of Izmit and east of Golcuk. It was almost on top of the epicenter. The fault passes beneath this primary school building at Yuvacik. The permanent offset at this location is about one meter. The building is reinforced concrete frame construction with brick infill walls. Note that the brick walls do not seem to be joined at the corner.… Photo: NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.
Golcuk
Golcuk Golcuk is west of Yuvacik and east of Yuzbasilar. Entering Golcuk from the east. This former gas station has been demolished, as has a lift slab structure on the left that pancaked. The view is to the north. (This photograph was taken through a car window.) Photo: NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.
Golcuk
Golcuk Golcuk is west of Yuvacik and east of Yuzbasilar. The view shows a four-story structure (foreground debris) that was under construction in Golcuk. The first story may have been occupied. The beam-column connections were supposed to transfer moment to the columns. A full hinging may have occurred all around and an unstable mechanism was formed. Note the… Photo: NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.
Golcuk
Golcuk Golcuk is west of Yuvacik and east of Yuzbasilar. These are floor slabs that have tipped over with some of the wall supports still attached. This was a five or six story reinforced concrete frame structure in Golcuk. Photo: NOAA National Geophysical Data Center.

More

Every tsunami in 1999The 1900sTsunamis of TurkeyThe earthquakeThis day in weather historyAlerts in force

Sources

Tsunami events and runups 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 tsunami event 2326.