Magnitude 7.6 earthquake strikes Panama, prompting Pacific tsunami threat

Panama was struck by a magnitude 7.6 earthquake near its southern coast on Friday, 9 October, prompting evacuations and a Pacific tsunami threat message. The quake occurred just before 1pm local time near Pitaloza Arriba, according to the earthquake record described by the US Geological Survey and a bulletin from the US Tsunami Warning Centers. Early reporting had not established the full extent of damage or whether anyone had been killed.

Where and when the Panama earthquake struck

The US Geological Survey’s reviewed event record places the quake 10km west-southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, at a depth of 10km. Its recorded origin time is 17:56 UTC, equivalent to 12:56pm in Panama. The Guardian placed the epicentre about 14km southwest of the community; the BBC described it as about 10km away. Those distance estimates differ, but both place the earthquake near the same community.

The Guardian reported that the Institute of Geosciences at the University of Panama recorded a second magnitude 6.0 earthquake at 1:22pm local time. The BBC described a series of shallow aftershocks. The reports did not establish how much damage either the initial quake or the subsequent shaking had caused.

Early magnitude estimates also differed. The BBC described the main quake as magnitude 7.7, while the reviewed US Geological Survey record lists magnitude 7.6. NOAA’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center used 7.6 in its threat message, although its bulletin listed a different depth, 33km. Those differences matter when reading early accounts of a developing event; the figures here are attributed to the organisations that reported them.

Which coasts faced a tsunami threat

The Guardian, citing the US Geological Survey, reported that hazardous waves were possible along coasts of Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico. The BBC gave a different list, saying the US Tsunami Warning System identified potential effects in Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile and Mexico. The retrieved tsunami bulletin did not resolve the differing country lists. A possible tsunami effect is a warning of risk, rather than a report that damaging waves have arrived.

Evacuations and what is known about damage

In Panama, the Guardian reported evacuations from buildings, schools and homes across the country, citing local newspaper La Prensa. It also reported strong shaking in Panama City, based on witnesses who spoke to Reuters. The Guardian cited Associated Press reporting that buildings shook and residents gathered outside while waiting for news about the quake’s impact.

The BBC said many people were evacuated from buildings in Panama City, citing AFP. It reported, with attribution to the US Geological Survey, that about 4.6 million people experienced moderate to severe shaking. That estimate describes exposure to shaking; it does not establish how many people were injured or how many buildings were damaged.

The BBC said the full extent of damage was unclear and that no casualty count had been confirmed when it reported the story. It mentioned online footage that appeared to show collapsed buildings in Penonomé and Soná, but said it had not verified that footage. The apparent collapses therefore cannot be treated as confirmed damage. The absence of a confirmed casualty count in that early report does not establish that there were no casualties.

The earthquake came three days before a national earthquake evacuation drill was scheduled in Panama, according to the BBC. That timing gives context to the evacuations, but the reporting does not show whether the planned exercise affected Friday’s response. For residents and coastal communities, the immediate open questions were the scale of damage, whether anyone had been hurt and how the tsunami threat would develop. Those questions require updated official and local reporting.