Overview
- A very strong, shallow earthquake with a revised magnitude of 7.7 struck near Pitaloza Arriba on Friday, producing dozens of aftershocks and strong shaking felt as far away as Colombia.
- The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued alerts for parts of nine Pacific-coast countries but later withdrew the warnings after reassessing the threat.
- Local officials reported structural damage in several provinces, including a damaged tower at the San Juan Bautista cathedral in Penonomé, and emergency teams say at least 27 people were injured with no confirmed deaths so far.
- The Panamanian government suspended afternoon classes, ordered safety checks at Tocumen International Airport, mobilized response teams led by President José Raúl Mulino, and the Panama Canal authority reported normal ship traffic.
- Panama’s geological agency recorded more than a dozen aftershocks, one above magnitude 6.0, and experts note this is the strongest quake in this part of Panama since 1951, so authorities warn of continuing assessments and possible further local disruptions.