The United States Geological Survey reported this Friday a magnitude 7.6 earthquake in the central-southern area of Panama, which has already caused significant material damage. For the moment, there is no data on possible victims, and the tsunami alert that was initially activated has been canceled.
The tremor was recorded at 19:56 this Friday (peninsular time in Spain and the Balearic Islands), with an epicenter 14 kilometers southwest of Pitaloza Arriba (to the west of Tonosí, in the province of Los Santos) and with a hypocenter located 10 kilometers deep.
The Geosciences Institute of the University of Panama has calculated the magnitude of the earthquake at 7.2, with a seismic focus at 4 kilometers deep, and has warned of an immediate aftershock with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0, also without data on victims for now.
However, the main earthquake and the subsequent movements have already generated considerable material damage and mass evacuations. According to the Panamanian newspaper "La Prensa," structural damage has been reported in the San Juan Bautista cathedral, in the Governor's Office, and in the Hotel Dos Continentes in Penonomé. The structure of the Santiago cathedral in Veraguas has also been affected. Tocumen International Airport has suspended its operations to carry out the necessary inspections.
The USGS has reported at least five subsequent tectonic movements with a magnitude greater than 5, including one of 5.8 south of El Cacao. For its part, the Panama Canal Authority states that operations continue normally, that emergency protocols have been activated, and that technicians are reviewing the facilities.
The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, has already been informed of the situation and has asked the Minister of Government, Dinoska Montalvo, and the security agencies to keep him updated on the consequences of the earthquakes.