A strong magnitude 7.7 earthquake shook Panama on Friday, causing panic in the capital city of skyscrapers and leading to building collapses in the central part of the nation, though there were no immediate reports of casualties. The shallow tremor lasted for about a minute and was felt across the Central American country, which has a population of approximately 4.5 million, according to the National Civil Protection System.
In Panama City, located about 200 kilometers from the epicenter, residents panicked and rushed to evacuate high-rise towers. Social media footage showed water spilling from a rooftop swimming pool on a building more than 20 stories high, while another video captured a bridge over the Panama Canal shaking violently as vehicles continued to cross. Local residents described terrifying scenes, with people fleeing buildings as power lines swayed overhead.
The US Geological Survey reported that the earthquake struck at 1756 GMT with its epicenter situated 10 kilometers from the small community of Pitaloza Arriba in south-central Panama. The tremor prompted a tsunami warning for the country alongside alerts for potentially dangerous waves along the coasts of neighboring Latin American and South Pacific nations.
Despite the shaking, the Panama Canal Authority confirmed that shipping operations through the vital maritime route connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans remained entirely unaffected and were functioning normally. Meanwhile, structural damage appeared concentrated heavily in the central provinces of Herrera, Azuero, Veraguas, and Los Santos.
Local media images revealed that a portion of a hotel collapsed in the town of Penonome, situated 150 kilometers southwest of Panama City, where a local church also sustained heavy damage and various structures developed visible cracks. Additionally, a roadway in Veraguas province developed fractures. Panama City's international airport, a prominent regional hub, was temporarily closed as a precautionary measure, resulting in several diverted flights.
The local geosciences institute registered over a dozen major aftershocks, including one exceeding magnitude 6.0. In response to the emergency, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino urged citizens to remain calm via social media, emphasizing that the situation should not be exploited to create panic and disorder while requesting a comprehensive damage assessment.
The education ministry announced the suspension of classes across schools nationwide. This event marks at least the fourth earthquake of magnitude 7.0 or greater to strike Latin America this year, following significant tremors in Venezuela and western Colombia earlier in the year.