Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Strikes Panama, Triggering Tsunami Threat
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued alerts for hazardous waves along the coasts of nine countries following a powerful earthquake off Panama's coast.
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Panama on Friday, October 9, 2026, prompting an urgent tsunami threat for several Central American and Pacific coast nations. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that hazardous waves were possible along the coasts of Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico.
Residents in threatened coastal areas were advised to remain alert and follow directives from local and national authorities. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center noted that a tsunami is a series of waves that can persist for many hours.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initially reported the earthquake's magnitude as 8.0 but later revised it to 7.7. The agency also detected a subsequent 5.5 magnitude earthquake in the same region approximately 46 minutes later.
The primary seismic activity occurred southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, a small village with a population of just over 100. However, the tremor was felt in larger nearby towns and the capital city of Panama City. Footage from the San Miguelito Metro station in Panama City, about 134 miles from the epicenter, captured scenes of panic and evacuation shortly after the shaking began. Residents were seen fleeing buildings and gathering in the streets.
One resident from the Herrera province, where the earthquake originated, described the event as strong enough to knock items over in kitchens but thankfully resulted in no injuries, though fear was palpable. Similar evacuations occurred at the Santo Tomas Hospital in Panama City, where workers and patients left the maternity ward. The earthquake was also felt in the capital of neighboring Costa Rica.