A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Panama on Friday, damaging buildings and roads across the nation. President Jose Raul Mulino declared a major disaster as aftershocks rattled the country. "We are facing a major disaster," Mulino said. Many residents fled high-rise buildings in panic, though no immediate casualties were reported yet.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Panama on Friday, damaging buildings and roads across the Central American nation and prompting President Jose Raul Mulino to declare a major disaster. There were no immediate reports of casualties.
The shallow earthquake was felt across Panama, which has a population of around 4.5 million, according to the National Civil Protection System. The tremor lasted approximately a minute, triggering panic in several areas and forcing people to evacuate buildings, AFP reported.
Here is what we know about the earthquake, the damage it caused and its impact on transport and shipping infrastructure.
What caused the earthquake in Panama?
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake struck at 1756 GMT, with its epicentre located 10 kilometres (6 miles) from the small town of Pitaloza Arriba in central Herrera province.
The USGS initially estimated the earthquake's magnitude at 8.0 before revising it to 7.7.
The tremor was felt across the country, including Panama City, which is around 200 kilometres from the epicentre. Residents reported intense shaking, prompting evacuations from high-rise buildings.
"I was scared because the shaking was very strong and prolonged. Heavy objects like dressers, the bed, and all the kitchen items were shaking," Salomon Andion, 46, told AFP after evacuating his 15-story building for the second time following aftershocks.
Videos circulated on social media showed water spilling from the rooftop pool of a building more than 20 stories tall. Another video showed a bridge over the Panama Canal shaking violently while remaining upright as vehicles travelled across it.
Which areas were worst affected?
Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino described the situation as a major disaster, citing extensive damage to infrastructure.
"We are facing a major disaster," Mulino said, adding that some roads had "completely collapsed."
Health Minister Fernando Boyd said the worst-affected areas were the provinces of Herrera and Cocle, along with Los Santos in the southeast.
The town of Tonosi in Los Santos was completely cut off, complicating efforts to reach residents and assess the damage.
"We are trying to figure out how to get there by air, because it's impossible by land," Boyd said.
In Penonome, a town in central Cocle province, residents described frightening scenes during the earthquake.
"It was horrible, like nothing we ever experienced. My daughter was trapped in school," Juana Alveo, a 38-year-old cashier at a store in Penonome, told AFP.
Former president Ricardo Martinelli also posted photographs on Instagram showing his house in the town of Sona in Veraguas province after it collapsed. Images shared by local media showed extensive damage to a church and a hotel in Penonome.
President Mulino travelled to Penonome to coordinate the disaster response.
Were there tsunami warnings and aftershocks?
Authorities issued a tsunami warning for the eastern Pacific following the earthquake, but the warning was subsequently lifted.
The local geosciences institute recorded more than 80 aftershocks, including one with a magnitude above 6.0.
The repeated tremors prompted further evacuations, including in Panama City, where residents left high-rise buildings as a precaution.
Mulino urged the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unnecessary panic.
"What happened should not be used to generate alarms and disorder," he wrote on X, adding that he had requested a report on the damage.
The education ministry announced the suspension of classes in schools nationwide.
How did the earthquake affect airports and the Panama Canal?
Panama City's international airport, a major aviation hub for the region, was temporarily closed following the earthquake.
The Civil Aeronautics Authority said several flights were diverted to other airports as a precaution.
Despite the damage to roads and buildings, the Panama Canal Authority said shipping through the canal remained unaffected.
The authority confirmed that the waterway, which connects the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, was operating "as normal."
The canal is a major international shipping route, making the status of its operations an important consideration in assessing the earthquake's wider transport and economic implications.
How has the international community responded?
The leaders of Colombia, Ecuador and Guatemala sent messages of solidarity and offered to provide assistance to Panama.
Authorities continued coordinating the disaster response as they assessed damage and explored ways to reach isolated areas.
Are earthquakes common in Panama?
Earthquakes are rare in Panama and typically occur in the western province of Chiriqui, which borders Costa Rica.
The latest tremor is at least the fourth earthquake measuring above magnitude 7.0 in Latin America this year, following devastating back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela's Guaira in June and a powerful earthquake in western Colombia in August.
The scale of the damage in Panama, the number of aftershocks and access to affected communities remained key concerns as authorities worked to assess the consequences of the earthquake.