Magnitude 7.7 earthquake rocks Panama

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Panama on Friday afternoon, damaging buildings and other structures in several areas and triggering widespread panic, although no casualties were immediately reported.

The quake struck shortly before 3 pm local time on Friday, October 9, with its epicentre about 10 kilometres from Pitaloza Arriba in south-central Panama, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). It originated at a shallow depth of roughly 12 kilometres, which heightened fears about the extent of the potential damage, and the USGS estimated that around 4.6 million people felt the shaking across a wide area. Moreover, videos circulating on social media showed damaged structures and collapsed buildings in several locations, including Penonomé and Soná. One verified clip showed part of a church and one of its towers crumbling in Penonomé, whereas another reportedly captured extensive structural damage to a local hotel.

The destruction raised concerns that people might be trapped beneath the rubble, although no such cases had been confirmed in the immediate aftermath. Ricardo Brown, a 74-year-old resident of Las Minas in the southern province of Herrera, told Reuters that several neighbouring houses had been damaged and that cracks had appeared in many homes, leaving residents terrified of further collapses; he said two elderly people lived in his own house, which he feared could give way. Nevertheless, the authorities had yet to establish the total number of damaged buildings or estimate the financial losses, and a clearer assessment is expected once affected areas have been inspected.

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The tremors were also strongly felt in Panama City, some 200 kilometres from the epicentre, prompting people to evacuate buildings and seek safety outdoors. Even after the shaking subsided, many residents lingered on the streets and in nearby parks rather than returning indoors. Furthermore, reports indicated power disruptions and flight suspensions in the wake of the earthquake, although details about the extent and duration of the outages and aviation interruptions were not immediately available.