The 1971 Bingöl earthquake strikes, leaving a trail of destruction documented by Milliyet and Cumhuriyet newspapers. Headlines report a need for 17,000 tents and show images of people, mostly women, waiting in aid queues. Improvised shelters set up next to the ruins are prominently featured. The migration of survivors to surrounding areas is highlighted.
The cause of the devastation is consistently attributed to the earthquake, with no discussions on preventable measures. Cumhuriyet publishes an article by Dr. Yılmaz İspir from Istanbul University on earthquake prediction.
Milliyet's May 24 headline features a desperate family sitting on the rubble. The newspaper emphasizes the destruction of remaining structures due to aftershocks, with touching images of mourning women and helpless families. Personal stories of loss, including those of infants and newlyweds, are shared.
Date: May 22, 1971
Magnitude: 6.8 Mw
Fatalities (official numbers): 878
Damaged buildings (official numbers): 9,111
May 1971
Gümüzbaş, Yılmaz, Mehmet Mercan. "Bingöl’de." Cumhuriyet, May 29, 1971, 7.
"Bingöl’de yağmur enkaz kaldırma faaliyetini aksattı." Cumhuriyet, May 27, 1971, 1.
İspir, Yılmaz. "DEPREM VE ARZMAĞNETİZMASI." Cumhuriyet, May 27, 1971, 2.
Gümüzbaş, Yılmaz, Mehmet Mercan. "Bingöl’de." Cumhuriyet, May 26, 1971, 7.
Nadi, Nadir. "Felâket Üstüne Felâket; BİNGÖL’DEN." Cumhuriyet, May 24, 1971, 7.
Kalpakçioğlu, Özdemir. "Yeni sarsıntı ayakta kalan binaları yıktı." Milliyet, May 25, 1971, 1.
Mercan, Mehmet. "ERİM: “BINGÖL’de ZARAR ÇOK BÜYÜK,," Cumhuriyet, May 24, 1971, 1.
Mercan, Mehmet. "Erim: Bingölde zarar." Cumhuriyet, May 24, 1971, 7.
"BINGÖL’DE DEPREM: BINE YAKIN ÖLÜ VAR." Milliyet, May 24, 1971, 1.