Video: 'Earthquake Hits Managua - 1972 | Today in History | 23 Dec 16'

(Saturday, December 23, 1972, 12:29:44 a.m. CST) — A 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck near Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, early today, causing widespread damage and casualties.

Video: 'Earthquake in Nicaragua (1972)' (Dec.26, 1972)

4,000–11,000 people were killed and 20,000 were injured.

Two-thirds of Managua’s 1,000,000 residents were displaced and faced food shortages and disease, and dry-season winds worsened the problem with fires created by the disaster.

Video: 'Disasters of the Century | Season 3 | Episode 23 | The Nicaragua Earthquake | Ian Michael Coulson'

The epicenter was 17 miles northeast of the city center and had a depth of about 6.2 miles.