The 1983 Biga earthquake hit northwestern Turkey on 5 July 1983. It measured 6.1 on the surface wave magnitude scale and was felt as far away as eastern Greece. The United States Geological Survey listed the earthquake among the "Significant Earthquakes of the World" for 1983.
Geology
The Biga Peninsula is an area marked by active faults including strike-slip movement and en echelon divergent basins.
The earthquake was preceded by a foreshock nearly a year prior, and was followed by aftershock clusters.
Damage
Five people died and 30 were injured. Several houses collapsed, an additional 85 damaged, water mains broke and windows shattered. Among the dead was a farmer who was crushed by a collapsing roof. It also caused panic as far away as Istanbul and in eastern Greece. In Istanbul, there was some damage and people fled onto the streets.