10. The Erzincan Earthquake killed around 33, 000 people on December 26th 1939
One of the worst earthquakes in history hit Turkey on Boxing Day 1939. At 1.57am local time, an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 shook the country to its core, killing 8, 000 people almost instantly. The aftermath of the quake caused widespread flooding and mudslides and sent a Tsunami through the Black Sea. These were also the days before earthquake-proofing on buildings in Turkey, and so you can imagine the devastation wrought on homes. In total, around 33, 000 people were killed, and the earth still bears the scars in the form of a 360-km long surface rupture.
The earthquake also severely damaged 116, 720 buildings, and the city of Erzincan itself, nearly 2, 000 years old at the time, was so badly damaged that the site was abandoned, and a new city founded nearby. The Erzincan Earthquake was a blow to Turkey, which had not long been a country after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Fortunately, however, the Turkish government responded in a timely manner, and passed legislation the following year that enforced more stringent building regulations. Good job, too, as Turkey was to suffer another 13 7+ magnitude earthquakes over the next 60 years.
