A strong earthquake struck Panama on Friday the 9th, with its epicenter on land in the Quebro region, in the south of the country, at a depth of just 12 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor was felt strongly in Panama City, where residents emptied buildings and gathered in the streets, and it forced the temporary suspension of operations at Panama's international airport as a safety measure, according to the Reuters news agency. A tsunami alert was issued for nearly the entire Pacific coast of Central America and lifted hours later.
Early magnitude readings differed between agencies. Reuters, in a dispatch republished by Brazil's InfoMoney, recorded 7.6, while Brazilian outlet G1, citing the USGS, reported 7.7. An initial note even mentioned 8.0, a figure later revised, a common fluctuation in the first hours after quakes of this intensity. The 12-kilometer depth is considered shallow, which amplifies the shaking at the surface. Panama sits at the meeting point of tectonic plates in the Pacific, one of the most seismically active regions in the Americas.
From Brazil's perspective, the main concern is the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal Authority said vessels continue crossing the locks normally, without interruptions, while technical teams inspect the facilities under activated emergency protocols. The waterway is one of the routes used by Brazilian exports bound for Asia, and a prolonged shutdown would directly affect freight costs and shipping schedules. So far, however, operations have not been affected. A Brazilian woman living in Panama told G1 about the force of the tremor, and a Brazilian journalist in the country showed the situation in the capital's streets.
Footage from the local press shows a partially destroyed building. A hotel and a church were also damaged, according to G1. In Colón, near the canal's Caribbean exit, a large fire hit port facilities, though the waterway kept operating. Utility company Naturgy reported power outages in six Panamanian provinces.
Tsunami alert issued and lifted within hours
Shortly after the quake, the US Tsunami Warning System said waves of 1 to 3 meters above tide level could hit stretches of the Panamanian coast in the following hours, with a risk of dangerous waves also along the coasts of Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico. Reuters reported that risk was also assessed for Hawaii. Hours later, the American agency said there was no longer a tsunami threat, with no alert, warning or watch in effect.
Aftershock counts diverge: local media report more than ten, while the USGS has recorded five so far. The scare was broadcast live on a Panamanian network, where hosts of a sports program abandoned the studio mid-transmission. As of this report's publication, Panamanian authorities had not confirmed any casualties, and inspections of buildings and canal infrastructure were still underway.