A massive magnitude 7.7 earthquake has hit Panama, damaging buildings and prompting a wide-ranging tsunami warning for neighbouring countries. About 4.6 million people felt moderate to severe shaking as a result of the quake, according to the US Geological Survey, which has indicated that the effects of the disaster are likely to be widespread.
The earthquake struck just before 15:00 local time and could trigger tsunamis in Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, and Mexico, according to the US Tsunami Warning System. The epicentre was located about 6.2 miles from the small town of Pitaloza Arriba in south-central Panama, with a series of shallow aftershocks following shortly after.
The tremor was registered at a depth of just 12 kilometres. Because shallower earthquakes tend to cause more severe effects on the surface, the event raised immediate concerns, though the full extent of the damage remains unclear alongside any potential casualties.
Footage shared online appears to show collapsed buildings in the towns of Penonomé and Soná, although these videos have not yet been independently verified. In Panama City, located about 200 kilometres away, numerous residents evacuated buildings as the ground shook.
The disaster occurs just three days before Panama was scheduled to hold a national evacuation drill to prepare for a major earthquake. It also follows separate significant earthquakes that struck Colombia and Venezuela earlier in the year.