Underwater ruins preserve traces of 1999 Marmara quake

KOCAELİ

A submerged chair frame from a coastal tea garden lies on the seabed off Değirmendere.

Nearly three decades after the devastating 1999 Marmara earthquake in Türkiye’s northwest, traces of the disaster remain preserved beneath the waters off Değirmendere, where divers have documented submerged buildings, household objects and other remnants frozen in place since the night of the quake.

The underwater site, about 180 meters off the Değirmendere coast in Kocaeli province, has become a diving area and offers a rare physical record of the earthquake’s impact. Divers from the Kocaeli Municipality Fire Department and the Değirmendere Underwater Community recently explored the area, documenting ruins lying at depths ranging from 18 to 55 meters.

The dives coincided with commemorations across the Marmara region marking the 27th anniversary of the earthquake. Ceremonies were held in Kocaeli, Sakarya and Yalova to honor those who died and to renew calls for stronger buildings and greater disaster preparedness. In Gölcük, residents gathered at 3:02 a.m. — the time the earthquake struck — and released carnations into the sea in memory of the victims.

Centered in Gölcük on Aug. 17, 1999, the magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck at 3:02 a.m. and lasted about 45 seconds. It devastated parts of Kocaeli, Yalova, Sakarya, Istanbul and Düzce. According to a 2010 parliamentary commission report, 17,480 people were killed and 43,953 injured. Around 200,000 people were left homeless, while 66,441 homes and 10,901 workplaces were destroyed. Nearly 16 million people were affected to varying degrees, with damage recorded in more than 285,000 homes and 42,900 workplaces.

At Değirmendere, the earthquake dramatically altered the coastline, sending a coastal hotel, ferry pier, tea garden and several homes beneath the water. The resulting submerged zone still contains remnants of everyday life that disappeared beneath the sea within seconds, including uprooted plane trees, street lamps, umbrellas belonging to the tea garden and mobile vendors’ stalls.

Speaking at the Gölcük commemoration, Kocaeli Governor İlhami Aktaş said Aug. 17 should not only be a day to remember those lost but also an opportunity to identify shortcomings and draw lessons to prevent similar tragedies. He stressed the need to renew aging building stock and reduce disaster risks.

Officials also pointed to lessons from the Feb. 6, 2023 earthquakes, noting that more than 90 percent of the buildings destroyed in the disaster had been constructed before the 1999 earthquake.

The anniversary ceremonies therefore carried a dual message: Remembering the devastation of the past while accelerating efforts to make cities more resilient to future earthquakes.