1970 Gediz earthquake
The 1970 Gediz earthquake struck western Turkey on 28 March at about 23:02 local time, with an estimated magnitude of 7.2 on the scale.
The event killed 1,086 people, injured 1,260 people, and left many thousands homeless in Gediz. a district of Kütahya Province situated southeast of Kütahya. Many people were burned alive as fires broke out from overturned stoves, and 9,452 buildings in the region were severely damaged or destroyed.
The town of Gediz, home to repeated natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, was relocated following a government resolution soon after the destruction to a new place away on the road to Uşak under the name "Yeni Gediz". The residents moved in their newly built, earthquake-resistant homes. Neighboring towns and villages were also rebuilt at places with relative minimum earthquake risk.
Other major earthquakes occurred in Gediz in 1866 and 1896, and on June 25, 1944, at 07:20 local time, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred in Gediz, killing 20 people and damaging around 3,500 buildings.
