A massive earthquake preliminarily measuring 7.6 magnitude struck about nine miles west of Pitaloza Arriba, Panama, just before 11 a.m. on Oct. 9, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported.
A tsunami threat warning was quickly issued by the National Weather Service for the surrounding countries but has since been lifted.
Mexico, Peru, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua, Panama, and Guatemala were initially under the tsunami warning. The warning was not extended to the United States or Canada, the NWS said.
Officials are keeping watch on coastal areas after unusual sea drawdowns were reported in Otoque and Isla Cañas, with wave variations of 12 to 40 inches, Malitzie Rivera, deputy director general of the National Civil Protection System of Panama, told reporters at an afternoon briefing.
No fatalities were reported to state authorities by Friday afternoon. Some people with injuries were taken to local hospitals in the central region, Rivera said.
Shaking from the major quake was felt 120 miles away in Panama City. Visitors and residents shared video of the roofs buckling at the Albrook Terminal, a major bus terminal in the city, and passengers running for safety at the Metro de San Miguelito terminal.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino called for citizens to remain calm while the country’s emergency crews assessed damages.
“What happened should not be used to generate alarms and disorder,” Mulino said in a post on X.
Mulino joined local authorities and response teams on a tour of the rural areas affected by the earthquake on Friday to assess impacts. He also visited a hospital in Penonomé to check on the conditions of the facility and any possible impacts.
A 5.8 magnitude aftershock struck El Cacao, Panama, about 27 miles away from the epicenter of the first event in Pitaloza Arriba, a rural community on the southern tip of the country, according to USGS.
People around the Central American country who felt the powerful quake reported their experiences.
Sahil Bloom, an author and entrepreneur, said he was in Panama for a speaking event and was on the seventh floor of a hotel waiting to fly home when the earthquake hit.
“Whole hotel started swaying and rumbling. Got in a doorway. Felt like a large earthquake. Crazy experience,” Bloom stated on social media.
Manolo Alvarez Cedeño was in his car driving through Panama City and said his vehicle “shook terribly.”
Video and photos of damage from the region most affected were shared on social media.
The traffic reporting site Trafico Panama reported at least one building was destroyed. A road in Mariato Veraguas province cracked in half and became impassable at one location.
Local media reported property damage in the city of Penonomé, about 75 miles northeast of the earthquake. One photo showed a three-story apartment building collapsed on several vehicles parked beneath it.
Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport temporarily suspended operations and activated safety protocols Friday afternoon. The airport was closed and passengers were evacuated. Operations are expected to resume once safe conditions return to the airport, officials said in a notice to passengers.
Some flights were rerouted to Cartagena and Barranquilla, Colombia, during the shutdown.
The United States is mobilizing resources and personnel to assist efforts in Panama at the request of the Panamanian government, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
“The United States stands with the people of Panama,” Rubio posted on X.
The USGS estimated Friday’s earthquake could result in hundreds of casualties.
“Extensive damage is probable and the disaster is likely widespread,” the USGS stated.
Estimated losses are 1 percent to 10 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, the USGS reported.
“Past events with this alert level have required a national or international level response,” USGS said.
