Abstract

Objective: Our country is among those which most frequently suffer from natural disasters. Earthquake is the most common disaster in Turkey. Our objective is to publish consequences of Erzurum-Aşkale Earthquake (in 2004) and also to evaluate physical and psychosocial damage and delayed effects of earthquake in our city which was placed on an important fault line.

Materials and Methods: Two earthquakes occurred measuring 5.1 and 5.3 on the Richter Scale on March 26 and 28, 2004 in Aşkale-Erzurum, Turkey. Records from Erzurum city directorate, 3 local hospitals, and the health team in the field were conducted and evaluated. The field team included 19 doctors, 22 nurses, 18 health staff, 17 ambulance drivers, 16 ambulances, an environmental health technician, and a mobile patrol vehicle.

Results: The first earthquake caused 9 deaths under ruble while the second did not. As a result of the earthquakes, 139 people were injured. 26 had serious injuries such as fractures (pelvis, tibia, vertebrae radius-ulna and skull) contusion pulmonary and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Moreover 305 buildings were damaged, 362 animals (203 cows, 156 sheep, 2 horses and 1 donkey) were died.

Conclusion: Because of the geologic, topographic structure and climate features, Turkey is one of the important countries that falling frequency with disasters causing a lot of deaths and substantial loss. Thus, all data not only on earthquakes but also on other disasters should be conducted and projects about precautions should be improved. And public should be trained about these precautions for disasters.