The earthquake which occurred in the north-western part of the Republic of Turkey on August 17, 1999 (magnitude: 7. 8) was a major disaster, claiming over 17, 000 lives and leaving approximately 32, 000 injured in and around Izmit in the Marmara region (as of November 1999; figures issued by the Government of Turkey). An overview of the damage is shown in this survey report. Damage to buildings is known to have occurred on a particularly large scale, and it can be confirmed that many of the fatalities are attributable to this cause. Due to damage to bridges, buildings and other structures, the adverse effect on the daily life and economic activities of the local community was also particularly severe.