{
  "id": 13666494,
  "title": "‘It was a terrible thing’: Panama declares state of emergency as quake aftershocks rattle communities",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/it-was-a-terrible-thing-panama-declares-state-of-emergency-as-quake",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-11T06:56:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian",
    "slug": "the-guardian",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/11/panama-eathquake-state-of-emergency"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Panama's government declared a state of emergency on Saturday following powerful earthquakes that struck the country. Two quakes, measuring magnitudes 7.7 and 6.6, caused extensive damage and prompted evacuations across all 10 provinces and two Indigenous territories. Officials reported damages to homes, schools, healthcare facilities, roads, and hotels, with about 420 homes and 27 people injured. The earthquakes also toppled buildings and prompted evacuations in the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera, Cocle, and Los Santos. Malitzie Rivera, deputy director of the National Civil Protection System, stated that the majority of the damage occurred in these provinces. Some communities remained cut off due to landslides and road damage. While no deaths were reported, Panamanian residents described the quakes as intense and unprecedented in their lifetimes. The US government pledged $5 million in humanitarian assistance and sent a disaster response team to provide search and rescue expertise along with aerial and on-the-ground assessments.",
  "summary": "More than 100 aftershocks as high as magnitude-5.8 recorded after two quakes toppled buildings and prompted evacuations Panama’s government has declared a state of emergency on Saturday as the aftershocks of two powerful earthquakes that roiled the country shook communities for hours. Officials did not attribute any deaths to Friday’s 7.7- and 6.6-magnitude earthquakes, but reported damages in…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun",
        "title": "Panama Declares a State of Emergency as Powerful Quake Aftershocks Rattle Communities",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/panama-declares-a-state-of-emergency-as-powerful-quake-aftershocks",
        "published": "2026-10-11T03:57:27.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Arabian Post",
        "title": "US withdraws Panama tsunami alert after powerful earthquakes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/us-withdraws-panama-tsunami-alert-after-powerful-earthquakes",
        "published": "2026-10-11T04:59:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Egypt Independent",
        "title": "Powerful earthquake shakes Panama, followed by large aftershocks",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/powerful-earthquake-shakes-panama-followed-by-large-aftershocks",
        "published": "2026-10-11T07:34:22.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}