A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Panama’s southern coast on Friday, shaking buildings in the capital and triggering tsunami warnings across Central and South America. The tremor hit near Pitaloza Arriba at a depth of 6 miles, prompting widespread evacuations and temporary infrastructure suspensions.
A major earthquake struck near the southern tip of Panama on Friday, sending sharp tremors through the capital and neighboring countries. The U.S. Geological Survey initially measured the seismic event at magnitude 8.0 before lowering its estimate to 7.7. The main shock hit at 1:56 p.m. ET, centered approximately 6 miles southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba at a depth of 6 miles.
The Institute of Geosciences of the University of Panama reported that the initial shaking struck near the southern town of Tonosí just before 1 p.m. local time, followed swiftly by a second 6.0-magnitude earthquake at 1:22 p.m. By 1:30 p.m., authorities had recorded 13 aftershocks. Subsequent USGS tracking logged two major aftershocks measuring 5.8 and 5.5, alongside smaller movements ranging between 4.8 and 5.0 in the hours following the initial rupture.
Tsunami Warnings Issued Across Nine Countries
Following the offshore jolt, the U.S. Tsunami Warning System flagged potential hazards along the Pacific coasts of Central and South America. Forecasters warned that waves reaching 3 to 10 feet above tide levels were possible along parts of Panama’s coastline, while sections of Ecuador could experience waves ranging from 1 to 3 feet. Smaller tsunami waves of less than 1 foot were forecast for coastal areas of Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Peru. Officials noted that a Pacific-wide tsunami was not expected.
Capital Buildings Evacuate as Central Provinces Sustain Structural Damage
In Panama City, located more than 100 miles from the epicenter, skyscrapers swayed, prompting residents to pour into the streets. Service on two lines of the Panama City Metro was temporarily suspended for safety checks, and the Ministry of Education ordered nationwide school closures just days before a planned national earthquake evacuation drill.
Omar Smith, of the National Civil Protection Service, reported via television broadcast that structural impacts were concentrated primarily in the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera, and Los Santos. Local media footage showed the collapse of a historic Catholic cathedral tower and falling hotel facade in Penonomé, located in Coclé province, where the governor’s palace also suffered significant structural damage before staff safely evacuated.
Across the country, buildings, schools and homes were evacuated as a result of the powerful movement of the earth, and local newspapers published footage showing severe damage to several buildings in the city of Penonomé, including the St John Baptist Cathedral. Information about possible damage or casualties from Friday’s earthquake was not immediately available, and Panama’s Civil Protection stated it was investigating possible damage in regions near the epicenter.
“We felt it very strongly. It knocked things over in the kitchen, but we’re OK, though we’re very scared. Everyone is outside, scared.”
Rosendo Domínguez, Herrera province resident, via Associated Press
Other residents near the epicenter described harrowing scenes as houses cracked under the strain. Ricardo Brown, 74, speaking by phone from the Las Minas area in Herrera province, told reporters the house has cracked, and we’re afraid it could fall on us
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Presidential Appeal for Calm and Normal Canal Operations
As emergency response teams deployed to inspect affected communities, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino turned to social media to urge public restraint. Writing on X, Mulino stated what happened should not be used to generate alarm and disorder
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Despite the severity of the shaking along the country’s Pacific edge—situated within the seismically active Ring of Fire—the Panama Canal Authority confirmed that the vital trade waterway sustained no disruptions and continued operating normally. Authorities across affected regions reported no immediate casualties as civil protection agencies continued assessing structural damage near the epicenter.
