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Events on Tuesday 17 August 1999 1
1999Izmit EarthquakeMagnitude 7.6 quake devastates northwestern TurkeyA magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck the Izmit region of northwestern Turkey, killing more than 17,000 people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. It was one of the deadliest earthquakes of the decade and exposed widespread construction failures. The disaster prompted major reforms to Turkish building codes.