In brief
A 7.7‑magnitude earthquake struck Panama just before 3 p.m. local time, causing severe shaking and structural damage in towns such as Penonomé and Soná. Roughly 4.6 million people felt moderate‑to‑severe tremors, according to the US Geological Survey. While debris fell on buildings in Panama City and evacuations were carried out, officials confirmed no casualties so far. Aftershocks and a brief tsunami warning added to the uncertainty, but the Panama Canal remained unaffected. The event comes just days before a national earthquake drill and follows recent seismic activity in neighboring Colombia and Venezuela.
At just before 3:00 p.m. local time (18:00 GMT) on Friday, a 7.7‑magnitude quake rattled Panama, sending shock waves felt by an estimated 4.6 million people according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The epicentre lay about 10 km from the town of Pitaloza Arriba in south‑central Panama.
Footage that circulated online shows buildings in Penonomé and Soná collapsing, with a cathedral’s spire toppled and a local hotel nearly gutted. In Panama City, people were evacuated from structures 200 km from the epicentre and found refuge in nearby parks as roofs released debris.
Authorities and residents report no deaths to date, although several older residents, including a 74‑year‑old who lives in the Herrera province, warned of cracked walls and imminent risk of further collapses. The quake was shallow, occurring at a depth of 12 km, a factor that amplified surface damage.
The tremors triggered a series of aftershocks that compounded the risk of damage across the region. When the event first broke off, tsunami warnings were issued for 11 neighbouring countries; the U.S. Tsunami Warning System, however, later confirmed no wave threat.
President José Raúl Mulino said the government had mobilised and urged calm, stressing that the incident should not provoke alarm or disorder. The earthquake came just three days before Panama was slated to conduct a national drill for major seismic events, and follows recent earthquakes in Colombia and Venezuela that rattled the region earlier this year.
The Panama Canal, a critical artery linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, was reported as unaffected by the seismic activity.
