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Earthquake strikes Panama at magnitude 7.7, tsunami threat issued
USA Today • • general
Key Points:
- A major earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.7 struck Panama on October 9, with the epicenter near Pitaloza Arriba; an aftershock of magnitude 5.8 was also reported shortly after the initial quake.
- The quake triggered a tsunami threat across several Central American countries, including Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico.
- Panama’s government is fully mobilized to respond, with President José Raúl Mulino personally coordinating relief efforts and calling for calm to prevent alarm and disorder.
- The U.S. government, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is rapidly mobilizing resources to assist Panama and has provided contact information for Americans in the country; the U.S. Embassy is assessing potential damage and monitoring the situation.
- The Panama Canal remains operational and the earthquake was felt in neighboring Costa Rica, though no immediate reports of injuries or damage have been confirmed.
