Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Rattles Panama, Prompting Evacuations and Localized Damage

PANAMA CITY — A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck southern Panama on Friday, rattling the Central American nation, triggering widespread evacuations in the capital, and damaging infrastructure across several regions. Despite the intensity and duration of the tremors, initial assessments indicate the country avoided catastrophic devastation or fatalities.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the seismic event occurred at a shallow depth of roughly 12.6 kilometers (7.8 miles). The epicenter was located in a sparsely inhabited southern district approximately 200 kilometers (124 miles) from Panama City. The shaking persisted for about a minute.

In Panama City, high-rise office towers and residential complexes swayed violently, sending thousands of panicked residents and office workers into the streets. Dramatic footage circulating on social media showed water sloshing out of high-rise rooftop swimming pools and major bridges vibrating as traffic moved across.

President José Raúl Mulino stated that the nation was dealing with serious fallout, noting that sections of roadway in parts of the country had completely buckled. In central provinces like Coclé, residents reported severe shaking that temporarily trapped occupants inside damaged structures.

Utility provider Naturgy confirmed electrical outages affecting six provinces, and the USGS projected potential economic losses between 1% and 10% of Panama’s gross domestic product. More than 40 aftershocks followed the main shock.

Despite localized damage and major traffic paralysis throughout downtown thoroughfares, critical national infrastructure weathered the quake largely intact:

• Panama Canal: Maintained uninterrupted transit operations.
• Aviation: Tocumen International Airport briefly paused operations before resuming normal flight schedules.
• Mining: The Cobre Panamá copper mine reported no operational disruptions.

The United States voiced solidarity, with the US State Department confirming it was monitoring developments and stood ready to provide disaster assistance if requested by Panamanian authorities.