M 7.8 earthquake – 20 km NNE of Erzincan, Turkey

Dec 26, 1939 · 23:57 UTC · Dec 26, 1939
Local time: Dec 27, 1939 · 01:57 (UTC+2)

MajorShallow · 20 km Reviewed by a seismologist

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Magnitude: 7.8moment magnitude (mw)
Depth: 20 kmShallow earthquake
Epicenter: 39.907, 39.58620 km from Erzincan
Energy released: 7.6 megatons of TNTabout 504 × Hiroshima
Felt reports: —"Did You Feel It?" responses
Shaking intensity: 7.9max. instrumental (MMI)
Aftershocks: 6M2.5+ within 218 km, up to 60 days
Significance: 936USGS score, 0–1,000+

The strongest within 300 km on record

No earthquake this strong has been recorded this close since our catalog begins in 1900.

How strong was it?

Major earthquake. It released 7.6 megatons of TNT, 15,849 times the energy of a magnitude 5.0. Bars use the magnitude scale: every step is about 32 times more energy.

Chile 1960 M 9.5

Japan 2011 M 9.1

San Francisco 1906 M 7.9

This earthquake M 7.8

Turkey 2023 M 7.8

Haiti 2010 M 7.0

Northridge 1994 M 6.7

Aftershocks

6 earthquakes of M2.5+ within 218 km in the 60 days after.

The strongest earthquakes within 300 km

Since 1900, around Turkey.