Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan commemorated those who lost their lives in the devastating earthquake that struck the Marmara Sea region on August 17, 1999.

“On the 27th anniversary of the earthquake that occurred in the Marmara Sea region on August 17, 1999, I ask the Almighty for mercy upon those who lost their lives and extend my condolences to the families and loved ones of all those whose pain of loss remains as acute in our hearts as it was on the first day,” the Turkish leader said in a post on his NSosyal account.

The earthquake in the Marmara Sea region occurred at 3:02 a.m. local time on August 17, 1999. Its epicenter was located in the Gölcük district of Kocaeli Province. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.4 and lasted approximately 45 seconds.

The natural disaster affected Kocaeli, Yalova, Sakarya, Istanbul, and Düzce. As a result, 17,480 people were killed, 43,953 were injured, and around 200,000 people were left homeless.

A total of 66,441 residential buildings and 10,901 commercial properties were destroyed. Overall, the earthquake affected approximately 16 million people to varying degrees, while damage was reported in 285,211 residential buildings and 42,902 business properties.