Magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes Panama, damaging buildings
A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Panama on Friday, causing widespread damage and shaking felt by millions. The quake hit just before 15:00 local time (20:00 GMT), with its epicentre about 6.2 miles (10km) from Pitaloza Arriba in south-central Panama. The US Geological Survey said the shallow depth of 12km meant surface effects were likely to be widespread.
About 4.6 million people felt moderate to severe tremors, according to the USGS. Footage posted online appears to show collapsed buildings in Penonomé and Soná, including one side and a spire of a cathedral in Penonomé. A video showed a local hotel almost completely collapsed, and one clip captured a man calling out to anyone trapped under rubble. There were no reports of casualties so far.
Residents describe fear as damage emerges
Ricardo Brown, 74, who lives in the southern Herrera province, told Reuters the quake damaged several homes in his neighbourhood of Las Minas. “We’re scared. It’s just the two of us old folks here. The house has cracked and we’re afraid it could fall on us,” he said. The full extent of the damage was not yet clear, and several large aftershocks were reported near the initial quake.
In Panama City, about 200km from the epicentre, many people evacuated buildings and took to the streets or sat in nearby parks until the shaking stopped. Damage in the capital appeared limited to debris falling from roofs. President José Raúl Mulino said the entire government was mobilising in response, but added: “What happened should not be used to cause alarm or disorder.”
Tsunami warnings were initially issued for 11 countries neighbouring Panama, but the US Tsunami Warning System later confirmed there was no threat. The authority overseeing marine traffic said the Panama Canal was unaffected. The quake came three days before Panama was scheduled to hold a national evacuation drill for a major earthquake.
