  | |
| UTC time | 1986-05-05 03:35:38 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 494730 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 5 May 1986 (1986-05-05) |
| Local time | 06:35:38TRT |
| Magnitude | 6.1Mw[1] |
| Depth | 9.6 km (6.0 mi) |
| Epicenter | 37°59′35″N37°48′22″E / 37.993°N 37.806°E /37.993; 37.806 |
| Type | Strike-slip |
| Areas affected | Turkey |
| Max. intensity | MMI VIII (Severe)[2] |
| Peak acceleration | 0.056g[3] |
| Aftershocks | 5.8Mw[1] |
| Casualties | 15 dead, 100 injured |
The1986 Malatya earthquake was aMw 6.1 earthquake that occurred in the early morning hours of May 5, 1986. It registered a maximumModified Mercalli Intensity of VIII (Severe). It occurred near the city ofMalatya,Turkey.
Most of Turkey lies on theAnatolian plate. Deformation from is accommodated through three main faults: the eastern portion of theHellenic Trench accommodates convergence between theAegean Sea plate and the Anatolian plate in the south, theNorth Anatolian Fault in the north accommodates the collision between theArabian plate and theEurasian plate which forces the Anatolian west, and theEast Anatolian Fault in the east, on which this earthquake occurred, accommodates the same deformation.
TheMw 6.1 earthquake struck near the city of Malatya, Turkey at 06:35 TRT on May 5. It occurred at a shallow depth of 9.6 km (6.0 mi). The focal mechanism of the earthquake indicates strike slip faulting with a strike in agreement with rupture along the East Anatolian Fault. The amount of aftershocks that occurred were small, but a noteworthyMw 5.8 earthquake rocked the same area only a month later. The mainshock occurred along a section of the East Anatolian Fault which meets theBitlisThrust Zone. The left-lateralSürgü Fault may have been associated with the event due to its proximity to the epicenter.[4]
The mainshock killed 15 people and injured a hundred more. Dozens of houses were reportedly damaged. The worst hit town wasDoğanşehir, where 13 people were killed and 100 houses collapsed. In the neighboring town ofGölbaşı, the quake took two more lives, destroyed the town's mosque, and caused schools to be closed.[5] At the nearby Sürgü Dam, 10 kilometers to the northeast, very strong shaking caused cracks to appear in the dam. The largest of the cracks were up to 150 meters in length, 20 centimeters in width, and 3 meters deep.[3] A strong aftershock on June 6 caused an additional fatality and four more injuries.[6]