In brief
A powerful 7.7 earthquake hit Panama, shaking 4.6 million people and damaging buildings. The quake’s shallow depth increased surface damage, and tsunami alerts were issued for Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile and Mexico. The epicentre was near Pitaloza Arriba, with aftershocks following the main shock. Panama City evacuated several buildings, just days before a planned evacuation drill. The event underscores the region’s seismic vulnerability after recent earthquakes in Colombia and Venezuela.
Massive 7.7 earthquake rattles Panama, damaging buildings and triggering a wide‑range tsunami alert for neighboring nations.
About 4.6 million people felt moderate to severe shaking, the US Geological Survey said, warning that impacts could be widespread.
The quake, felt just before 15:00 local time, could trigger tsunamis in Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile and Mexico, the US Tsunami Warning System announced.
The epicentre lay around 10 km from the small town of Pitaloza Arriba in south‑central Panama, with a series of shallow aftershocks following the main shock.
Shallow depth of 12 km meant surface effects were intense, though the full extent of damage and possible casualties remain unclear.
Panama City, 124 miles away, evacuated several buildings, reports AFP, just three days before a national evacuation drill was due.
The tremor follows earlier devastating quakes in Colombia and Venezuela, highlighting the region’s seismic volatility.
