00:01A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake has rocked southern Panama, sending buildings shaking,
00:08triggering mass evacuations, and raising fears of a tsunami across parts of Central and South
00:14America. The earthquake struck on Friday, October 9th, at around 1 p.m. local time. The United
00:21States Geological Survey initially estimated the magnitude at 8.0 before revising it,
00:27eventually settling on 7.7. The quake was shallow, with its depth estimated at around 10 to 13
00:35kilometers. Its epicenter was located near Pitalosa Arriba in Herrera Province on Panama's
00:42Asuero Peninsula. The impact was felt across much of the country, including Panama City,
00:49around 200 kilometers from the epicenter. Residents reported intense shaking that lasted for roughly
00:5540 seconds. Objects fell inside buildings, people rushed out of offices and homes, and crowds gathered
01:03in the streets as a precaution. Despite the powerful tremor, Panama's capital largely avoided major
01:09structural damage. However, reports from areas closer to the epicenter described a more serious
01:15situation, with cracks in buildings, damaged roads, partial collapses, and falling debris.
01:21Damage was reported in provinces including Herrera, Viragua, and Los Santos. Several minor injuries
01:29were reported, including a person struck by debris in Penonome. No deaths had been reported in the latest
01:35available updates, although assessments in remote areas were still continuing. The earthquake also
01:42triggered a wave of aftershocks. More than 45 were recorded by the University of Panama, including one measuring
01:49magnitude 6.6, alongside several others above magnitude 5. The continuing tremors added to concerns among
01:57residents already shaken by the initial quake. Tsunami warnings were issued for coastal areas of
02:03Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and other countries in the region. Authorities later lifted
02:11the warnings after determining that no significant tsunami threat had been confirmed. The earthquake also
02:18disrupted transport and daily operations. Tokumin International Airport temporarily suspended flights
02:24and evacuated areas before services resumed. Some public transport services in Panama City were also
02:31interrupted. Meanwhile, authorities inspected the Panama Canal, which was reported to be operating normally.
02:38Operations at the Cobre Panama copper mine were reported to be also normal. President José Raúl Molino urged
02:46people to remain calm as emergency teams assessed the damage and the government coordinated its response.
02:53The USGS estimated that potential economic losses could reach between 1 and 10 percent of Panama's gross
03:00domestic product, highlighting the possible scale of the disaster. Panama experiences major earthquakes
03:07relatively rarely, making this powerful tremor a significant event for the country. While the worst
03:14immediate fears have eased, aftershocks and ongoing damage assessments mean the situation remains under close
03:20of the virus watch.
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