A 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit the coast of Peru, killing as many as 70,000 people.
The 45-second earthquake occurred at 3:23 PM, and although its epicenter was actually off the coast of Peru, the damage was still extreme. Its area of effect was 32,000 square miles, but most of the damage came from a resulting landslide. The landslide buried the towns of Yungay and Ranrahirca, where most of the casualties were found.