More than 7,900 Homes Assessed and 1,952 with Total Damage Caused by the Earthquake in Panama.
More than 1,900 homes suffered total damage after the October 9 earthquake, while thousands more registered damage of varying magnitude, according to preliminary report #15 of the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc), as of Saturday, October 17. The report tallies 7,933 homes assessed through the Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (DANA), directly impacting 26,018 people: 13,105 men and 12,913 women. Among those affected are 85 pregnant women and 1,026 people with disabilities.
Damage to Homes and Infrastructure.
Earthquake in Panama More than 7,900 homes Assessed and 1,952 with Total Damage.
Sinaproc reported that 74% of the homes evaluated are concentrated in the provinces of Los Santos and Herrera. The report details:
- 1,952 homes with total damage, affecting 6,322 people.
- 2,952 homes with moderate and partial damage, with 16,071 people affected.
- 1,124 homes with minor or slight damage, corresponding to 3,625 people.
The Image Above Shows the Effects of the Earthquake in the Community of Hicaco, Soná district, Veraguas.
The report also records damage to community and public infrastructure:
- 576 educational centers affected, mainly in Veraguas (178) and Chiriquí (139).
- 42 health centers affected.
- 44 churches.
- 87 public buildings.
- 69 roads and bridges.
The earthquake, which occurred on October 9, caused damage in several provinces of Panama. In addition, 27 people were reported injured: 17 in Coclé, six in Los Santos, two in Panama Oeste, one in Herrera and one in Veraguas.
Communities and Humanitarian Assistance.
Members of the Neonatology Department at Cecilio A. Castillero Hospital Arrive to Attend to Newborns at a Mobile Barbershop in Chitré.
The report indicates that more than 171,190 pounds of cargo have been mobilized by air and 365 tons by land to serve the affected areas. As of October 16, authorities reported providing care in 57 communities across 19 districts, distributed in five provinces and the Ngäbe Buglé region.
International Support.
Sinaproc also highlighted the cooperation of other countries in the emergency response:
- United States: deployment of tent-type hospitals for specialized neonatal care, plus a team of structural engineers, search and rescue specialists, and logistics and operations personnel.
- Venezuela: shipment of 48 tons of humanitarian aid.
- Costa Rica: deployment of 39 experts in infrastructure and geology.
A Doctor Displays Supplies at a Field Hospital, at the Cecilio Castillero Hospital in Chitré, Herrera Province.
On October 10, the Cabinet Council declared a national state of emergency, through which up to $100 million will be allocated to help those affected by the earthquake. The earthquake struck at 12:56 pm on Friday, October 9th. The epicenter was located 39 kilometers northwest of Tonosí, in the province of Los Santos.
