On Friday afternoon, a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific side of Panama, with its epicenter located about 10 km (6 miles) southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba in Herrera province. The shock hit at roughly 1:00 p.m. local time, sending tremors through Panama City, where skyscrapers swayed and crowds fled to open spaces.
Authorities quickly reported that the main shock originated at a depth of around 6 miles, a factor that amplified the shaking felt across central provinces. Residents described kitchen cabinets overturning, windows cracking, and a pervasive sense of fear that kept people outdoors for hours.
Aftershocks and structural damage
Within three hours of the initial jolt, a second tremor measuring 6.6 magnitude rocked the same area, followed by a cascade of more than 45 smaller quakes ranging from 4.8 to 5.8 on the Richter scale. The University of Panama recorded these events, noting that many were too weak to be perceived by the public.
Damage assessments highlighted the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos as the hardest hit. In Penonomé, a partially collapsed structure sent debris striking a passerby, while the historic San Juan Bautista Cathedral suffered a partial roof collapse and noticeable cracks. The governor’s palace in Coclé showed significant structural compromise, though staff were evacuated safely.
Video footage circulating on social media captured a hotel façade in the tourist-friendly Playa Venao crumbling onto a parked car, as well as a colonial-style church in Los Santos succumbing to the force of the quake. Despite the visible destruction, officials confirmed that no fatalities had been reported at the time of writing, though several injuries were being treated at local health centers.
Regional alerts and international response
Following the main shock, the U.S. Tsunami Warning Center issued alerts for the coasts of Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Peru and Panama. Waves of 1–3 meters were forecast for Isla Cañas and the southern shoreline of Los Santos, prompting evacuations of low-lying homes. The warnings were lifted later in the day after measurements indicated no hazardous tsunami developed.
Neighboring governments quickly voiced solidarity. Colombia’s president pledged assistance, while the United States, through Secretary of State Marco Rubio, announced the rapid mobilization of resources at Panama’s request. The U.S. Embassy in Panama confirmed it was monitoring the situation and checking on American citizens, many of whom are retirees in the country.
Domestic agencies, including Panama’s National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC), continued to evaluate damage and stated they were not yet seeking foreign aid, though the option remained open should conditions worsen. The Panama Canal Authority reported uninterrupted operations, emphasizing the safety of personnel and vessels as top priorities.
Panama sits on the volatile “Ring of Fire,” a 40,000-kilometer arc of tectonic activity that makes the region prone to strong earthquakes. The last comparable event in Panama occurred in 1991, when a magnitude-7.4 quake in neighboring Costa Rica caused dozens of deaths and widespread destruction. Improved building codes, especially for high-rise structures in Panama City, are believed to have mitigated casualties this time around.
