Massive earthquake strikes Panama at magnitude 7.6, tsunami threat issued
- On Friday, October 9, 2026, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck near Pitaloza Arriba, Panama, at 10 km depth, according to the U.S. Geological Survey; tremors shook buildings as far as Panama City, prompting mass evacuations.
- Panama lies along the 'Ring of Fire,' a 25,000-mile arc of volcanoes and fault lines around the Pacific Basin, where tectonic plate convergence makes strong earthquakes recurring.
- Omar Smith of the National Civil Protection Service reported damage concentrated in Veraguas, Herrera, and Los Santos provinces, while local media footage showed a Catholic cathedral collapsing in Penonomé.
- The U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued alerts for nine countries, including Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador, warning of potential waves 1 to 3 m high for coastal residents.
- Media reports confirm the Panama Canal is operating normally, and Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino called for calm, stating, "What happened should not be used to cause alarm or disorder.
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A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Panama on Friday evening. According to Reuters, such powerful earthquakes are unusual in the country. A tsunami warning has been issued for large parts of Central America and the coasts of Mexico, Colombia and Peru after the event.
Panama Struck by Massive Quake, Sparking Tsunami Warnings
Panama was struck by its strongest earthquake in more than seven decades on Friday, triggering tsunami warnings across parts of Latin America and temporarily shutting down sections of Panama City’s Metro.
A strong earthquake, with the magnitude of 7.6, took place along the southern coast of Panama, causing panic in Panama City and also being felt in neighboring Costa Rica. Following the earthquake, the American tsunami warning system signaled a possible risk for certain coastal areas of Columbia and Ecuador along the Pacific Ocean.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.7 shook Panama on Friday, according to the American seismology agency.
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