Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has declared a major disaster after a powerful earthquake struck the country on Friday, October 9, damaging buildings and roads and prompting evacuations across several regions. The earthquake, initially estimated at magnitude 8.0 before being revised to 7.7 by the US Geological Survey, shook the Central American nation for around a minute. Although the tremor was felt across the country, authorities had reported no confirmed deaths in the initial assessments.

The earthquake's epicentre was located near Pitaloza Arriba in Herrera province, approximately 200 kilometres from Panama City. The strong shaking sent residents and office workers out of buildings as a precaution, including occupants of high-rise structures in the capital. A second earthquake measuring magnitude 6.6 and numerous aftershocks followed, keeping residents on alert as emergency teams assessed the damage and checked the safety of buildings and public infrastructure.

The central provinces of Herrera, Coclé, Veraguas and Los Santos were among the areas most affected. Officials reported damaged structures, cracks in buildings and sections of roads that had collapsed. The town of Tonosí in Los Santos province was reported to be cut off by damaged roads, complicating access for emergency personnel. A church and a hotel in Penonomé also sustained significant damage, while reports of injuries prompted authorities to continue assessing the situation.

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The earthquake also disrupted transport operations. Tocumen International Airport in Panama City temporarily suspended flights and carried out evacuation procedures before resuming operations later on Friday. A tsunami warning was issued for parts of the eastern Pacific coastline following the tremor but was subsequently lifted. The Panama Canal Authority reported that shipping operations through the strategic waterway continued normally, with technical teams checking facilities for possible damage.

President Mulino travelled to Penonomé to coordinate the response and urged residents to remain calm while authorities gathered information about the impact. The government also moved to assess damage and arrange access to isolated communities. The earthquake has renewed attention on disaster preparedness in Panama, where seismic activity is linked to the movement of tectonic plates around the Pacific region. Officials continued monitoring aftershocks and inspecting affected areas as the full extent of the damage remained under assessment.

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