Panama rocked by 2 powerful earthquakes

Two powerful earthquakes, magnitude 7.7 and 6.6, shook southern Panama on Friday, causing buildings to collapse and prompting evacuations throughout the country. The first quake struck about 10 kilometers southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, a remote community in Herrera province, at a depth of 10 kilometers. Initially reported as magnitude 8, it was later revised to 7.6 and then 7.7.

Residents in Panama City expressed shock and fear as they waited for updates on the quake's impact. Some felt the ground shake strongly enough to knock items off shelves, but no one reported serious injuries as of Friday evening. President Jose Raul Mulino assured the public that no deaths had been reported, though he acknowledged that situation could change.

While the earthquakes were powerful, they were not the deadliest in the region. In June, a pair of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes struck Venezuela, killing over 6,500 people and leaving 17,000 homeless. Colombia experienced a 7.4 magnitude quake in August that claimed at least 289 lives. In Panama, strict building codes may have contributed to the relatively lower death toll. Still, the country's capital, Panama City, saw significant damage, including collapsed buildings and fissures along roads.

The airport in Panama City briefly suspended operations but reopened by afternoon. The Panama Canal Authority reported that operations along the global trade route remained normal, with teams inspecting facilities for any damage. Tsunami warnings were initially issued for coasts in Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala but were later lifted.

Nestor Luque, director of the Geosciences Institute at the University of Panama, predicted waves between 3 to 10 feet in certain areas, but major waves were not expected beyond that.