7.2 Earthquake Reported in Panama 39 Kilometers West of Tonosi. Same in Penonomé and the City.
Roadway in Veraguas due to the Earthquake. According to a preliminary report from the Institute of Geosciences of the University of Panama, the earthquake was 7.0, with a depth of 10 kilometers and was located in Panama 39km west of Tonosí.
A strong earthquake of magnitude 7.2 shook much of Panama at noon on Friday, October 9. According to a preliminary report from the Institute of Geosciences of the University of Panama, the earthquake was 7.2 magnitude, at a depth of 4 kilometers and located in Panama 39km west of Tonosí, Los Santos province. Red marks the spot in the map below.
New President of Colombia Pictured Below Right, De la Espriella Offers Assistance to Panama After the Earthquake.
In different regions, people evacuated buildings, businesses, schools, and homes due to the powerful earthquake. In Penonomé, Coclé, structural damage was reported at the San Juan Bautista Cathedral pictured below, the Governor’s Office, the Dos Continentes Hotel and the Iguana Mall.
The situation caused panic in several sectors of the capital such as Don Bosco, Costa del Este, Pueblo Nuevo, San Miguelito, San Francisco, among others. In Veraguas, the Santiago Cathedral also suffered structural damage, as did municipal offices, apartments such as below in Coclé, and as seen on the headline of this story, the cracked and sunken roadways in Veraguas. Likewise, residents of Chiriquí, such as Boquete and David, and central provinces, Veraguas and Coclé.
President Mulino Visits the Areas Most Affected by the Earthquake.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino visited Penonomé, one of the areas hardest hit by the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that shook the Central American country on Friday, where he expressed his solidarity with those affected.
Reports indicated that, until 1:30 pm, about 13 aftershocks had been recorded, one of them of 6.0, located north of Tonosí. President José Raúl Mulino announced on social media that he had asked the Minister of Government, Dinoska Montalvo, and the security agencies to report on the effects of the earthquake.
Earthquake in Panama: Marco Rubio Announces Mobilization of United States Resources and Personnel to Provide Assistance.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also reminded the public that the consular affairs hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for affected U.S. citizens who need support.
Panama City, Panama: United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the State Department is mobilizing resources and personnel to assist Panama, at the request of the Panamanian government, following the earthquake that occurred this Friday, October 9.
“At the request of the Panamanian government, the State Department is rapidly mobilizing resources and personnel to provide assistance,” he said on his X account.
Panama Classes Suspended.
The Ministry of Education suspended afternoon classes nationwide and closed its administrative offices nationwide. Meanwhile, the University of Panama suspended classes and administrative work as a preventive measure after the earthquake, with the purpose of safeguarding the safety of the members of the university community.
Passenger Transport.
The Iguana Mall in Penonome had pieces falling from the rooftops. Following the earthquake, Tocumen International Airport suspended operations to conduct assessments. Similarly, the Panama Metro decided to temporarily suspend operations on lines 1 and 2. Information is developing. According to a preliminary report from the Geosciences Institute of the University of Panama, the earthquake was of magnitude 7.2, depth of 10 kilometers, and located in Panama 39 km west of Tonosí.
Earthquake Reported of 7.2 from Penonomé. The Governor’s Office and the Cathedral were Quite Badly Affected and Damaging a Hotel.
https://x.com/AlvaroAlvaradoC/status/2108625304805867746 for your browser or view below.
Patients above at Aquilino Tejeira Hospital in Penonomé Coclé Province were Evacuated from the Medical Center.
The 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck at midday caused damage to government buildings, apartment buildings, schools, hospitals, businesses, residences, and fire stations in various provinces of the country, according to preliminary reports from authorities. Reported damages include cracks in structures, detachment of slabs and ceilings, lifted tiles, and partial collapses of buildings. In Coclé, the partial collapse of the Dos Continentes Hotel was reported, along with damage to the facades of commercial premises and churches. In Los Santos, collapses of residences and damage to religious and government buildings were reported.
In Panama province, minor damage was reported in four apartment buildings, as well as damage to businesses and residences in the Pearl Islands archipelago. Preventative evacuations were also carried out at hospitals and health centers. The Ministry of Education (Meduca) received preliminary reports of damage to schools, primarily in Chiriquí, with reports of damage to schools in David, Barú, Remedios, Bugaba, Gualaca, Boquerón, and San Félix. Minor damage to the infrastructure of the Zapayal Educational Center was also reported in Darién.
Damage to Fire Stations.
The earthquake also caused damage to several stations of the Panama Fire Department. In West Panama, the La Chorrera station experienced slab detachment and cracks in the officers’ lounge, while in Veracruz cracks were reported in a wall. In Herrera, there was a ceiling collapse and dislodged tiles. In Coclé, the central station number 1 experienced a ceiling detachment. In Los Santos, the La Villa and Macaracas stations showed considerable cracks in their structures. In Veraguas, Station Number 1 in Santiago reported a slab collapse and structural cracks. At the Soná station, a large part of the structure collapsed, trapping emergency vehicles and a Zodiac-type boat. Cracks were also reported at the central station number 1 in David. The stations in Bocas del Toro, Panama East, and Bugaba did not register any damage, according to preliminary reports.
Water Supply Disruptions.
Nationwide, damage to the infrastructure of several water treatment plants was reported. The Chilibre plant was operating at 20% of its capacity at the time of the report. Authorities also reported damage to road infrastructure and hospitals in Tonosí and Pedasí, where the damage was described as minor. As of the time of the report, no missing persons reports had been received. In Coclé, fifteen students from the Alberto Zúñiga School were evacuated with minor injuries, while one person was rescued from the municipal market in Aguadulce. The National Government reiterated its call to the population to remain calm, stay informed through official sources, and follow the recommendations of emergency agencies, which continue to be deployed to assess the damage and address the reported situations.
Magnitude 8.0 Earthquake Strikes 14 km Southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, Panama, Triggering Tsunami Warnings
A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 8.0, later revised to around 7.6, occurred at a shallow depth of 33 km near Pitaloza Arriba in southern Panama. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) reported the event, prompting tsunami threat statements for Pacific coastal areas including Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico. Initial reports noted shaking felt widely, panic, and evacuations, with assessments ongoing for damage.
Panama City is Reporting an Earthquake Measuring up to 8 on the Richter Scale and Scattered Damage. This is a continuing story with much news to come. Stay tuned,
From England the BBC Reports: Powerful Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Hits Panama, Damaging Buildings.
A Maternity Home in Panama City Evacuates the Building.
A massive magnitude 7.7 earthquake has hit Panama, damaging buildings and prompting a wide-ranging tsunami warning for neighbouring countries. About 4.6 million people felt moderate to severe shaking as a result of the quake, according to the US Geological Survey, which has said that the effects of the disaster were “likely to be widespread”. The quake, which hit just before 15:00 local time (18:00 GMT), could trigger tsunamis in Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile and Mexico, according to the US Tsunami Warning System.
The epicentre of the earthquake was about 6.2 miles (10km) from the small town of Pitaloza Arriba in south-central Panama, with a series of shallow aftershocks following it. Footage shared online, which has not been verified by the BBC, appears to show collapsed buildings in the towns of Penonomé and Soná. The quake was registered as occurring at a depth of just 12km. The shallower the earthquake, the more likely it is to have more severe effects on the surface. However, the full extent of the damage it has caused is not yet clear, nor whether there have been any casualties as a result. Many people were evacuated from buildings in Panama City, about 200km (124 miles) away, according to news agency AFP.
