PANAMA CITY — Southern Panama was plunged into chaos on Friday as a series of violent earthquakes, including a powerful 7.7 magnitude tremor, decimated regional infrastructure and prompted a nationwide state of emergency. The seismic activity, centered near the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba in the Herrera province, sent shockwaves across the country and into neighboring Colombia.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) initially pegged the primary quake at magnitude 8.0 before refining the measurement to 7.7. The shallow epicenter—located just 10 kilometers (6 miles) deep—magnified the intensity of the shaking, which was followed by a subsequent 6.6 magnitude quake and a swarm of over 45 aftershocks.
In the capital, Panama City, thousands of residents fled skyscrapers and office buildings, gathering in streets as the ground continued to rumble. While the capital remained largely intact, the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera, and Los Santos bore the brunt of the destruction.
“We felt it very strongly. It knocked things over in the kitchen, but we’re okay, though we’re very scared,” said Rosendo Domínguez, 60, a resident of the Herrera province.
Reports of structural failure began emerging by late afternoon. In the city of Penonomé, one person was injured by falling debris during a partial building collapse. Significant damage was confirmed at the local cathedral, the governor’s office, and the Dos Continentes hotel. In Los Santos, the historic Church of San Atanasio, a protected National Historic Heritage Site, suffered a collapse, while major fissures tore through roadways across the region, complicating rescue efforts.
Despite the widespread destruction, President José Raúl Mulino stated that no deaths had been confirmed by Friday evening, though he warned that the situation remained fluid. “Nobody was ready, and no one is ever ready for this type of disaster,” Mulino said during a public address calling for calm.
The seismic event disrupted major transportation hubs. Tocumen International Airport, a critical regional nexus, temporarily suspended all operations before reopening later in the day. Meanwhile, the Panama Canal Authority confirmed that the global trade route was operating normally, with technical teams conducting structural inspections as a precaution.
Tsunami concerns gripped the coast following the quakes, with officials monitoring for waves up to 10 feet near Isla Cañas. While local authorities confirmed that seawater had reached some coastal homes, regional tsunami warnings were lifted for Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and as far as Chile’s Easter Island by nightfall.
The international community was swift to respond. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged the mobilization of personnel and resources, while leaders from across Latin America—including Colombia, Venezuela, and Costa Rica—offered aid to the Panamanian government.
Panama, situated along the volatile “Ring of Fire,” remains on high alert as seismologists monitor for further activity. Search and rescue operations in the central provinces are expected to continue through the night.
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