Powerful 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Panama, Broadcasters Flee Live TV
The quake caused buildings to collapse and roads to buckle, with two injuries reported as emergency services assess the damage.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Panama on Friday, causing widespread damage, collapsing buildings and roads, and forcing sports broadcasters to abandon a live television broadcast. The earthquake hit the small town of Pitaloza Arriba in the central Herrera province at approximately 1 p.m. local time, with a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. The US Geological Survey initially estimated the magnitude at 8.0 before revising it to 7.7.
Tremors were felt across the southern coast of the Central American nation, triggering more than 80 aftershocks, including one above magnitude 6.0. The shallow tremor shook the country of approximately 4.5 million people, according to the National Civil Protection System. Buildings and roads in the center of the country collapsed, with the city of Penonome experiencing significant damage.
In Panama City, roughly 200 kilometers from the epicenter, residents rushed to evacuate skyscrapers. One video widely shared on social media depicted water cascading from the rooftop pool of a building over 20 stories high. Another showed a bridge over the Panama Canal shaking violently but remaining intact as vehicles crossed.
"We are facing a major disaster," said Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino, noting that some roads had "completely collapsed." Health Minister Fernando Boyd identified the provinces of Herrera, Cocle, and Los Santos as the most affected areas. The town of Tonosi in Los Santos was completely cut off from land access, prompting efforts to reach it by air.
Two injuries were reported, both occurring in collapsed structures—one near a church in Veraguas and another in a hotel in Cocle, authorities confirmed. Fortunately, there have been no reports of fatalities.
During the live broadcast, five sports presenters were visibly shaken as the studio began to tremble. Initially confused, they soon dropped their microphones and fled the building for safety as the shaking intensified and lights flickered off.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on X that his office was "closely monitoring" the situation and "rapidly mobilizing resources and personnel to assist" at the Panamanian government's request. The Panama Canal Authority reported that shipping operations through the vital waterway remained unaffected and continued "as normal."
Panama City's international airport experienced a temporary closure, with several flights diverted as a precautionary measure. The education ministry announced the suspension of classes nationwide.
Earthquakes of this magnitude are rare in Panama, with seismic activity typically concentrated in the western Chiriqui province near the Costa Rican border. The Panamanian quake is at least the fourth in Latin America this year to surpass 7.0 in magnitude, following significant earthquakes in Venezuela and western Colombia.