Massive 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Panama, Sparking Tsunami Alerts Across Latin America

An aerial view of Panama Bay in Panama City after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit the country's south [AFP]

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake has struck southern Panama, prompting widespread tsunami warnings throughout Central and South America. Following the tremor on Friday, the US National Weather Service issued tsunami alerts for Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Additionally, Chile’s naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service released a tsunami warning.

According to the US Geological Survey, the epicenter of the earthquake was located approximately 10km (6 miles) southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, a remote community along the Pacific Ocean coast. In Panama City, residents experienced significant tremors that caused buildings to shake and forced people to evacuate into the streets.

“We felt it very strongly. It knocked things over in the kitchen, but we’re okay, though we’re very scared,” said 60-year-old Rosendo Dominguez of Herrera province, where the earthquake struck, in a phone interview with The Associated Press news agency. “Everyone is outside, scared,” Dominguez added.

Footage shared by the newspaper La Prensa revealed that the tower of a historic building collapsed, alongside several balconies on a residential structure in Penonome, situated roughly halfway between the epicenter and Panama City. In response to the disaster, Panama’s ministry of education ordered the closure of schools.

The region has already experienced several destructive earthquakes this year. In June, twin quakes struck northern Venezuela, resulting in widespread devastation and at least 6,500 fatalities. Later in August, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit Colombia, claiming the lives of at least 289 people.