7.7-magnitude quake rocks Panama, triggers tsunami warning

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Panama on Friday, causing widespread panic and damage throughout the country. The tremor, centered 10 kilometers from the small town of Pitaloza Arriba, lasted approximately a minute and was felt across Central America. In Panama City, about 200 kilometers from the epicenter, people rushed to evacuate high-rise buildings.

A video showed water falling from a pool atop a 20-story tower, while another depicted a bridge near the Panama Canal shaking but remaining standing. The US Geological Survey reported that the quake struck at 1756 GMT, with no immediate reports of casualties. The damage was primarily concentrated in the central regions of Herrera, Azuero, Veraguas, and Los Santos, with reports of collapsed hotel parts and damaged churches.

A road in Veraguas also displayed cracks. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino urged calm, urging people not to generate unnecessary alarm. The education ministry suspended classes nationwide following the quake, which is at least the fourth significant seismic event in Latin America surpassing 7.0 magnitude this year.