Selçuk Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Dergisi

Öz

Natural disasters are significant
socio-economic events that concern people and states. This is because it is not
possible or takes a long time for the people, the settlement units, the
environment and the economic activities to return to the pre-disaster conditions
due to the significant natural disasters. For this reason, the effects of
natural disasters need to be revealed for a complete understanding of the
social and economic history of a state or city. In this study, the earthquakes
that took place during the second half of the 19th century in the Isparta
provinces and districts located in the first-degree earthquake region were
discussed in the light of primary sources, which are archive documents,
newspapers and chronicles. In this way, it has been aimed to contribute to the
seismicity and Isparta's earthquake history by revealing how frequently and
large earthquakes were experienced. In this context, during the second half of
the 19th century in Isparta, it was determined that twenty-five earthquakes
occured, several of which seemed to have caused damage. Especially on 17
January 1889, the earthquake was very severe. So, several buildings in Isparta
city centre and some villages connected here were ruined. After this devastating earthquake, a Disaster Commission
was established under the chairmanship of Isparta tenant (mutasarrıf). The
Commission aimed to find urgent solutions to the problems and needs, and
attempted to cover the wounds of the earthquake victims within a short period
of time.