Central America is geologically active with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occurring from time to time . In 1976 Guatemala was hit by a major earthquake , killing 23,000 people ; Managua , the capital of Nicaragua , was devastated by earthquakes in 1931 and 1972 , the last one killing about 5,000 people ; three earthquakes devastated El Salvador , one in 1986 and two in 2001 ; one earthquake devastated northern and central Costa Rica in 2009 , killing at least 34 people ; in Honduras a powerful earthquake killed seven people in 2009
major earthquake
1976 Guatemala earthquake
North America