Massive 7.7 Earthquake Hits Central Panama With Tsunami Warning

A massive magnitude 7.7 earthquake has just rocked Panama, sending shockwaves through buildings and triggering an urgent tsunami alert. The tremor struck southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, a tiny village in Herrera province with only about 100 residents. Yet the shaking was felt hundreds of miles away. The US Geological Survey placed the event at 1.56pm ET, noting its shallow depth and warning that casualties were possible.

Collapsed structures, split roads, and caved-in roofs became the new normal after the quake hit. Authorities confirmed damage concentrated in central Panama. Locals reported people trapped under rubble. One harrowing scene involved a hotel crashing down onto a car with occupants inside. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially feared hazardous waves could hit coasts in nine countries: Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico.

However, the center confirmed about three hours later that the tsunami threat had passed. Their initial message urged coastal residents to stay alert and obey local orders. Strong shaking forced evacuations in Panama City, some 122 miles from the epicenter. The US Embassy in Panama is monitoring the aftermath on X, stating they are assessing potential damage from this major event.

President José Raúl Mulino called for calm across Central America. One should not use the event to create alarm and disorder, he said in a statement posted to his official X account. Footage from the San Miguelito Metro station captured panic as crowds fled moments after the ground shook. Workers and visitors at the Santo Tomas Hospital maternity ward also ran out the door. The evacuation forced even week-old babies outside while residents waited for news on impacts.

Sabina Rios sat on the sixth floor of an old US military-era building in Panama City before the shaking began. She told Reuters the quake felt strong and lasted a long time, the longest she had felt in years. Traffic snarled across the capital as offices released employees early. Nobody knew if conditions were safe or if buildings held structural integrity. The Metro halted service entirely. Students in uniform poured onto downtown streets as schools closed nationwide.

Social media footage from Penonome showed a church and nearby structures collapsing. This city sits roughly midway between the epicenter and Panama City. The Panama Canal Authority reported that the waterway operates normally despite the tremor. The quake's epicenter remained close to La Pitaloza, a rural community near the Pacific coastline in a sparsely populated area of Herrera.

Rosendo Domínguez, 60 years old from Herrera province, spoke to The Associated Press about his experience. We felt it very strongly, he said. It knocked things over in the kitchen, but we're OK, though we're very scared.

Everyone is outside, scared." The fear was palpable as a magnitude 7.7 earthquake rattled the Azuero Peninsula on the southern coast of Panama. Shaking traveled so far it was felt in San Jose, Costa Rica's capital, according to a Reuters witness. Penonomé, sitting roughly halfway between the epicenter and Panama City, saw its church and nearby buildings crumble. Social media videos captured the destruction there.

Injured people flooded emergency lines. Omar Smith of the National Civil Protection Service confirmed at least one victim was struck by debris from a structure that partially collapsed in Penonomé. The cathedral in the district's main square took hits too, showing cracks and suffering a partial collapse itself. The Dos Continentes hotel sustained damage as well. No deaths were reported immediately.

Coclé's provincial government said the governor's palace suffered substantial structural damage, yet employees escaped safely. Officials told residents to stay calm following the quake. A maternity ward in Panama City was forced to evacuate, leaving week-old babies outside while staff scrambled for safety. An aerial view showed crowds streaming from the hospital after the tremors hit.

The shaking did not stop there. Around 45 minutes later, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck Bajo Corral, located 28 miles east of Pitaloza Arriba. Then came a third quake measured at magnitude 5.8 near El Cacao. That village sits about 18 miles southwest of the first epicenter. At least seven more aftershocks have struck since the initial blow.

A USGS map shows the strongest shaking centered on the Azuero Peninsula, with powerful tremors rocking Ocú and Las Tablas. Santiago felt the motion too, along with areas farther west like David, Boquete, and Changuinola. Lighter tremors reached Panama City. The government must now act fast to secure buildings and protect those left vulnerable by these sudden, violent events.