Panama under evaluation after strong 7.7 magnitude earthquake
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Panama this Friday, leaving a preliminary toll of at least 27 people with minor injuries and structural damage to more than 400 buildings throughout the country. Fortunately, authorities have confirmed that there are no fatalities or missing persons following the natural phenomenon.
Extensive damage to national infrastructure
The National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC) has deployed assessment teams to account for the damage, which ranges from private homes to critical infrastructure. The official report details impacts on:
- 142 homes and four residential buildings.
- 188 educational centers and 20 healthcare facilities.
- 26 government buildings and 13 churches.
- Seven hotels, nine bridges, various road sections, and water treatment plants.
The impact reached nine Panamanian provinces. As a preventive measure against rising sea levels, nearly 300 people were evacuated from a coastal community.
The provinces of Los Santos and Coclé have been identified as the areas of greatest impact, where severe damage to public and private infrastructure is concentrated, even leaving several communities cut off due to landslides and failures in the road network.
Impacts in Los Santos and Coclé
In Los Santos, the epicenter near the seismic movement, damage was reported to 14 homes, five hotels, and multiple government buildings. Meanwhile, in Coclé, the earthquake caused the partial collapse of the San Juan Bautista cathedral in Penonomé and the collapse of one side of the Governor’s office building. Eight families in this province had to be relocated to temporary shelters.
More than 100 aftershocks maintain the alert
Since the main event, more than a hundred aftershocks have been recorded. Although the epicenter was located in southwestern Panama, the earthquake was felt with great intensity in the capital, causing citizens to evacuate high-rise buildings as a precaution. Authorities continue to work in the affected areas to ensure the safety of citizens and restore basic services as soon as possible.
