Earthquake in Turkey
- Duration
- 23 August 1966 - 2 September 1966
- Military personnel
- 17
- Fatalities
- none
- Decorations
- none
During the last century, Turkey was struck repeatedly by major earthquakes. One of them was in 1966. On 16 August, the town of Varto in the province of Mus in Eastern Turkey was almost entirely destroyed by an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale, as a result of which 2,394 people lost their lives and many more were made homeless.
International relief operation
The Netherlands Red Cross asked the Royal Netherlands Air Force to supply several aircraft with the necessary personnel to take assembled relief goods to the affected area. The Defence organisation agreed to this request immediately and joined the international relief effort, which quickly got under way.