Strong earthquake strikes Panama, damaging buildings across multiple regions
Developing story first seen 1 hour ago
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck south-central Panama on Friday afternoon, affecting approximately 4.6 million people with moderate to severe tremors. The quake hit just before 15:00 local time with its epicentre about 10km from Pitaloza Arriba, and whilst no casualties have yet been reported, the extent of damage is still being assessed. President José Raúl Mulino stated that his government was mobilising in response, as several significant aftershocks have continued to shake the region.
Verified footage shows substantial damage including a collapsed cathedral spire in Penonomé and an almost completely destroyed hotel, with buildings collapsing in multiple towns. The tremor's shallow 12km depth made it particularly damaging at surface level, prompting evacuations from buildings across Panama City, about 200km away, including a maternity ward. Initial tsunami warnings for 11 neighbouring countries were subsequently cancelled, the Panama Canal remained unaffected, and the earthquake coincidentally occurred just three days before Panama's scheduled national evacuation drill for major seismic events.
- Magnitude 7.7 earthquake hits Panama; 4.6 million people experience tremors
- Multiple buildings damaged, cathedral spire collapsed in Penonomé
- No casualties reported yet; full damage assessment continues
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Panama is a Central American country that connects North and South America and is home to the Panama Canal. The canal is one of the world's most critical shipping routes, handling approximately 5% of global maritime trade and serving as a vital link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
The canal is essential to global commerce, and any disruption to its operations affects shipping costs and supply chains worldwide. With approximately 4.4 million residents, Panama also has significant populations that can be affected by natural disasters like earthquakes.
Panama is located in an earthquake-prone region, and seismic activity is a known hazard for the country. The Panamanian government and canal operators have systems in place to manage such risks, but major earthquakes present unpredictable challenges that can affect both residents and critical infrastructure.