The 1944 Bolu-Gerede Earthquake is comprehensively documented in the Cumhuriyet newspaper. Despite the predominant focus on World War II, the earthquake's impact on 21 provinces is effectively captured through detailed headlines and photographs. Headlines emphasize the scale of the disaster and the widespread destruction it caused. Photographs show collapsed village houses, citizens' struggles, and streets filled with rubble. Images depict temporary shelters built by the residents themselves.
Some headlines note that news from certain villages was still missing. Other articles feature photos capturing life in the region after the disaster, illustrating the ongoing challenges faced by the affected communities. They discuss lessons learned from the disaster, including reflections and debates on the earthquake law, which calls for state oversight of building inspections and outlines necessary precautions for future disasters.
Date: February 1, 1944
Magnitude: 7.2 Mw
Fatalities (official numbers): 3,959
Damaged buildings (official numbers): 20,865
February 1944
"Zelzele sahasında yapılan tetkikat." Cumhuriyet, February 24, 1944, 3.
"Millî Şef." Cumhuriyet, February 18, 1944, 1.
"Millî Şefimiz Zelzele Bölgesinde." Cumhuriyet, February 15, 1944, 3.
"Dünkü zelzele; Esas depremden sonraki en kuvvetli sarsıntı." Cumhuriyet, February 11, 1944, 3.
"Zelzele bölgesinde haber alınamiyan köyler var." Cumhuriyet, February 7, 1944, 3.
Alp, Hayri. "Boludan geliyorum!" Cumhuriyet, February 6, 1944, 2.
Felek, Burhan. "Haftanin Şakalari; Fırsat düşkünleri ve zelzele." Cumhuriyet, February 6, 1944, 2.
"Zelzele sahasından intıbalar." Cumhuriyet, February 6, 1944, 3.
"Mudurnu ve Göynük’ten haber yok!" Cumhuriyet, February 5, 1944, 2.
"Yeni ve şiddetli zelzeleler." Cumhuriyet, February 3, 1944, 2.