Strong aftershocks followed the shallow earthquake as authorities assessed damage and tsunami threats issued across parts of the region were later lifted.
PANAMA CITY, PANAMA — A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck southern Panama on Friday, shaking buildings across the country, damaging homes and roads and sending residents into the streets as authorities began assessing the impact of one of the strongest earthquakes to hit the nation in recent years.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake struck at 17:56 UTC on Oct. 9, about 12 kilometers west-southwest of Pitaloza Arriba in Panama’s Herrera province. The agency placed the quake at a shallow depth of about 12.6 kilometers. The USGS initially issued different preliminary magnitude estimates before listing the earthquake at magnitude 7.7.
The shaking was followed by dozens of aftershocks, including another powerful earthquake later Friday. The USGS recorded a magnitude 6.6 quake west of Río Grande, while a magnitude 5.8 earthquake was also recorded near El Cacao. The Associated Press reported that more than 45 aftershocks had been detected as officials continued monitoring seismic activity.
Damage was reported in several central provinces, including Herrera, Los Santos and Veraguas. Buildings were damaged or collapsed in some communities, roads developed cracks and power service was disrupted in several parts of the country. The Church of San Atanasio, a historic landmark in Los Santos province, was among structures reported damaged. Authorities continued inspections Friday evening to determine the full extent of losses.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said no deaths had been reported as of Friday evening, according to the Associated Press. Some injuries were reported, but officials had not announced a final nationwide injury count. Earlier reports said there were no immediate reports of casualties, reflecting information available while emergency teams were still checking affected areas.
The earthquake was strongly felt in Panama City, more than 200 kilometers from the hardest-hit area. Office workers evacuated high-rise buildings and gathered outdoors as the shaking continued. Traffic became congested as residents left buildings and tried to contact relatives. The quake was also felt beyond Panama, including in neighboring Colombia and Costa Rica.
The initial earthquake prompted tsunami threat messages for parts of the Pacific coasts of Central and South America. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System initially identified potential threats for Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico and Peru. Later bulletins said there was no tsunami warning, advisory, watch or threat in effect, ending the regional alert associated with the main earthquake.
Major infrastructure appeared to avoid severe disruption. Panama Canal operations continued, according to reports Friday, while Tocumen International Airport temporarily interrupted some activity as officials inspected facilities. Authorities and utility crews also worked to restore electrical service after outages were reported in several provinces.
The USGS assigned the main earthquake a red alert under its PAGER system, which estimates the potential human and economic impact of major earthquakes. The agency reported very strong to violent shaking near the epicentral area. Because the earthquake occurred at shallow depth, shaking near the source was especially intense even though the most heavily affected region is less densely populated than Panama City.
Emergency crews continued surveying damaged communities Friday night as aftershocks persisted. Officials had not announced a complete damage estimate, and assessments of homes, roads, public buildings and utilities remained underway. Authorities continued monitoring the region for additional strong aftershocks following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake and the powerful tremors that came after it.
Author note: Last updated October 9, 2026.