7.6-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Panama, Triggering Tsunami Warnings
- A 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of Panama, shaking buildings in Panama City and triggering widespread tsunami warnings across Central and South America.
- Initial measurements of the tremor varied among international agencies.
- Television footage and local reports documented residents evacuating buildings, schools, and homes across Panama as the ground shook for roughly a minute.
A 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of Panama, shaking buildings in Panama City and triggering widespread tsunami warnings across Central and South America. The United States Geological Survey reported that the seismic event hit at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres, with an epicenter located about 14 kilometres southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba.
Magnitude Fluctuations And Tsunami Warnings Across Pacific Coasts
Initial measurements of the tremor varied among international agencies. The event was first reported as magnitude 8 before being adjusted to 7.6 by the US Geological Survey, while other monitoring systems recorded it at 7.7. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued cautions that hazardous waves of up to 3 metres above tide levels were possible along the coast of Panama, alongside 1-metre waves for parts of Ecuador. Warnings and advisories also covered Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico, with Chile placing Easter Island under a precautionary advisory before later cancellations. In New Zealand, the National Emergency Management Agency and GNS Science assessed the initial data and confirmed within half an hour that the earthquake was unlikely to generate a tsunami affecting the country.
Evacuations And Building Collapses In Central Panama
Television footage and local reports documented residents evacuating buildings, schools, and homes across Panama as the ground shook for roughly a minute. The Associated Press noted that visibly shaken residents gathered outside in Panama City to await updates. Significant structural damage struck the town of Penonome, located 150 kilometres southwest of the capital, where local reporting and Agence France-Presse confirmed that part of a hotel collapsed and the St John Baptist Cathedral suffered severe damage. The Panama Canal Authority stated that operations along the global trade route continued normally while specialized technical teams inspected facilities for potential impacts.
Presidential Appeals For Calm Amid Dozens Of Aftershocks
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino used social media to urge restraint following the initial shock.
What happened should not be used to generate alarms and disorder.
José Raúl Mulino
The Institute of Geosciences of the University of Panama recorded at least 13 aftershocks, including a magnitude-6 tremor that kept residents on edge. Regional neighbors responded swiftly to the crisis, with Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella offering solidarity and full support to the Panamanian government through official statements.