(Reuters) – an enormous earthquake hit Peru on Wednesday night and officials said a huge selection of individuals were killed within the rubble of collapsed houses and churches as rescuers looked for victims in the beginning Thursday.

After is really a chronology of some earthquakes that are major south usa, Central America and Mexico since 1970:

Might 31, 1970 – PERU – An earthquake of 7.9 magnitude destroys the towns of Yungay, Huaraz and Chimbote and surrounding villages, making significantly more than 50,000 dead and 600,000 homeless.

23, 1972 – NICARAGUA – An earthquake of 6.5 magnitude strikes Managua, killing between 5,000 and 7,000 people december.

4, 1976 – GUATEMALA – A rash of quakes of up to 7.5 magnitude just north of Guatemala City kills 23,000 people, injures 80,000 and leaves 1.5 million homeless february.

December 12, 1979 – COLOMBIA – An undersea earthquake having a magnitude of 7.7 to 8.1 hits the coastline of Colombia, killing 600 individuals and making over 80,000 homeless if the Port of Tumaco is devastated because of the temblor and ensuing wave that is tidal. (more…)