A powerful earthquake initially measured at magnitude 8.0 and later revised to 7.6 struck Panama on Friday morning. It shook buildings as far away as Panama City and sent frightened residents rushing into the streets. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the shallow tremor struck at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles). Its epicenter was located about 9 miles (14 kilometers) southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba in the central province of Herrera.
The sudden shaking prompted widespread evacuations across multiple regions. In Panama City, skyscrapers swayed. This caused workers and residents to leave buildings and gather in open public spaces while awaiting updates on the quake’s scale and potential impact.
Impact and Reports From the Epicenter Region
Local authorities and residents reported strong tremors close to the epicenter. Rosendo Domínguez, a 60-year-old resident of Herrera province, described the severity of the ground movement to The Associated Press by phone. He noted that items were knocked over inside homes and entire neighborhoods evacuated outdoors out of fear.
Omar Smith of Panama’s National Civil Protection Service stated that structural damage was primarily concentrated in the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera, and Los Santos. Officials confirmed minor injuries, including an individual struck by debris from a partially collapsed structure in the city of Penonomé. Structural cracks and partial damage were also reported at historical sites, local governor offices, and roadways in the central provinces.
Tocumen International Airport in Panama City temporarily suspended operations and activated emergency protocols to inspect facilities. Meanwhile, the Panama Canal Authority reported that global shipping lanes continued operating normally following preliminary structural checks.
Tsunami Warnings and Regional Response
Following the main tremor and a series of aftershocks-including a notable 6.6 magnitude event-the National Weather Service issued tsunami warnings for the Pacific coasts of Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Coastal alerts warned of potential waves ranging from 3 to 9 feet above normal tide levels in localized areas.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino urged citizens to remain calm and avoid panic. He emphasized that the situation was being actively managed by emergency response teams. Neighboring countries, including Colombia, extended messages of solidarity and offers of assistance as seismic monitors continued tracking aftershocks.
Tectonic Context and Geological Background
Panama’s high seismic activity is driven by its location along the “Ring of Fire.” This is a major arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin where numerous tectonic plates-including the Cocos, Nazca, and Caribbean plates-interact. Major earthquakes historically present challenges for infrastructure across the region. This makes rapid coordination between the USGS, local civil protection agencies, and international monitoring networks vital for public safety.
