Powerful quake hits Panama, damages homes; canal operations normal
PANAMA CITY: A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near the southern coast of Panama on Friday at a 12.6-km (7.8 miles) depth, according to the US Geological Survey, damaging some buildings but without affecting the critical Panama Canal trade waterway. In Panama, where earthquakes of this magnitude are rare, television images showed elderly residents reduced to tears in the streets as a series of…
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Panama's southern coast on Friday, causing damage to buildings but not disrupting the vital Panama Canal. The quake, which occurred at a depth of 12.6 km, sent shockwaves across the region, including as far as the Nicaraguan capital of Managua. Elderly residents in rural areas expressed fear and concern, with one 74-year-old man recounting how cracks had appeared in his home's walls.
The epicenter was near La Pitaloza, a sparsely populated area near the Pacific coast. While damage was reported in several locations, including Chitre and Los Santos province, the Panama Canal operations remained unaffected. The US Tsunami Warning System issued alerts for potential tsunami waves along multiple coastlines, while national evacuation drills were scheduled for the following week to prepare for future seismic events.
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