A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck southern Panama on Friday, shaking buildings in the capital and prompting tsunami warnings from Guatemala to Chile. Early reports describe damage to buildings; schools have been closed and the president has appealed for calm.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck southern Panama on Friday, October 9, triggering tsunami warnings across Central and South America, Al Jazeera reported, citing Reuters and the Associated Press.
This article is based on early reports. Information about casualties was not available in the reports.
Where It Struck
The US Geological Survey said the earthquake was centred about 10km (6 miles) south-west of Pitaloza Arriba, a remote community on the Pacific coast.
Tsunami Warnings
The US National Weather Service issued tsunami warnings for:
- Panama
- Colombia
- Ecuador
- Nicaragua
- Guatemala
Chile’s naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service issued a warning of its own.
What People Felt
Residents of Panama City reported buildings shaking, and people left them for the streets.
“We felt it very strongly. It knocked things over in the kitchen, but we’re okay, though we’re very scared,” said Rosendo Dominguez, 60, from Herrera province, where the earthquake struck. “Everyone is outside, scared.”
Damage Reported
Videos shared by the newspaper La Prensa showed that the tower of a historic building had collapsed in Penonomé, along with several balconies of a residential building. The city lies about halfway between the epicentre and Panama City.
The Government’s Response
Panama’s education ministry ordered schools closed.
President José Raúl Mulino called for calm. “What happened should not be used to cause alarm or disorder,” he wrote on X.
A Destructive Year for the Region
There have been several damaging earthquakes in the region this year, according to the report:
- June: twin earthquakes in northern Venezuela killed at least 6,500 people
- August: a magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Colombia killed at least 289 people
Image: Panama City (file photo, taken before the earthquake). Photo by Ángel López via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.