Major earthquake hits Panama, injures at least 27

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Panama on Friday, causing damage to buildings and roads in central parts of the country, and resulting in at least 27 injuries with no reported fatalities. The tremor, which was felt throughout the nation of approximately 4.5 million people, did not cause any deaths. In Panama City, around 200 kilometers from the epicenter, panic ensued as people evacuated iconic skyscrapers.

People reported objects such as dressers, beds, and kitchen items shaking violently during the intense aftershocks. Heavy objects fell from a rooftop pool of a 20-story building, and a bridge over the Panama Canal shook but remained standing as vehicles passed over it. President Jose Raul Mulino declared it a major disaster and said some roads had collapsed entirely.

The USGS initially reported the quake's magnitude as 8.0 but later downgraded it to 7.7. A tsunami warning for the eastern Pacific was issued but later cancelled. Airport operations at Panama City's international hub were suspended, with several flights diverted to avoid the area. President Mulino traveled to the affected region to coordinate the disaster response, along with the Health Minister who reported that Herrera, Cocle, and Los Santos provinces were the most impacted. The town of Tonosi in Los Santos was entirely cut off from other areas.