A powerful 7.7‑magnitude earthquake struck Panama just after 15:00 local time on 9 Oct, shaking nearly 4.6 million people and prompting tsunamis alerts across the Caribbean and Pacific.
The quake, centered 10 km north of Pitaloza Arriba, registered a shallow depth of 12 km, amplifying ground motion and leading to structural damage in towns such as Penonomé and Soná.
Early footage shows collapsed buildings and the evacuation of a maternity ward in Panama City, 124 km from the epicentre; however, official damage figures and casualties are still pending.
Authorities warned the tsunami hazard could affect Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile and Mexico, and the US Tsunami Warning System has issued alerts to the surrounding regions.
The disaster falls just three days before Panama’s national earthquake‑evacuation drill and follows a string of devastating tremors in Colombia and Venezuela earlier this year, raising concerns about regional preparedness.
The full impact of the event is not yet clear, but officials say that the quake’s depth and proximity indicate likely widespread damage and potential human losses.
