Panama Earthquake: State of Emergency Declared After 7.7 Quake, With More Than 100 Recorded Aftershocks

Panama declared the emergency on Saturday after two powerful earthquakes struck on Friday, causing damage across the country and leaving some communities isolated by landslides and damaged roads.

The US Geological Survey reported that the first earthquake measured magnitude 7.6, while a second earthquake was recorded at magnitude 6.6, according to published reports.

Presidential Minister Juan Carlos Orillac announced the emergency declaration at a news conference in Panama City. As of Saturday, officials had reported 27 injuries and no deaths, although assessments of the damage were continuing.

The earthquakes struck within a day of one another and were followed by more than 100 aftershocks. Seismologists recorded tremors measuring magnitude 5.8, 5.5 and 5.2 among the wider sequence of aftershocks.

Damage Across Panama

Officials reported damage in all 10 of Panama's provinces and two Indigenous territories. Orillac said homes, schools, healthcare facilities, roads and hotels were among the facilities affected by the earthquakes.

Most of the damage was concentrated in the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera, Coclé and Los Santos. The Civil Protection agency reported that about 420 homes and a similar number of public schools had been damaged.

The agency also reported that seven hotels, at least 13 churches and nine bridges had been affected. The figures remained preliminary, and officials had not said when a fuller assessment of the damage would be completed.

Malitzie Rivera, deputy director of Panama's National Civil Protection System, said 27 people had been reported injured, with injuries ranging from minor to moderate. Officials had reported no missing people as of Saturday.

Some communities, however, remained cut off because of landslides and damaged roads. Authorities had not announced when access to the isolated communities would be restored as of Saturday.

Epicentre, Evacuations and Collapsed Buildings

According to the US Geological Survey, the first earthquake was centred about 10km (6 miles) south-west of Pitaloza Arriba, a remote community in Herrera province. The USGS reported a depth of 10km (6 miles).

Tremors were also felt in neighbouring Colombia. Buildings collapsed near the epicentre, prompting evacuations in affected areas.

The earthquakes caused particular concern in central Panama, where several provinces reported damage to homes, public buildings and transport infrastructure. Authorities continued to assess the extent of the destruction as aftershocks continued to shake communities.

Historic Town Counts the Cost

In La Villa de Los Santos, a historic town about 64km (40 miles) north-east of the epicentre, homes were damaged and the Church of San Atanasio suffered a collapse.

Residents who spent the night outdoors awaited further guidance from the authorities. Some people gathered under tents or in open spaces as they waited for updates on the safety of their homes and the condition of local roads.

Tony Jiménez, whose home was partially damaged, said he had been sheltering under a tent with relatives since the previous afternoon.

'It was a terrible thing. I can tell you with absolute certainty that in my 90 years, I had never experienced anything like it.'

Regional Support and US Assistance

Offers of support arrived from across the region. President José Raúl Mulino said he had spoken with the presidents of Chile, Uruguay and Guatemala, among other regional leaders, and thanked them for their support.

The conversations came as Panamanian officials continued to coordinate the emergency response and assess the needs of communities affected by the earthquakes.

The government had not publicly detailed the full extent of assistance offered by regional partners.

The US Department of State said on Saturday that it was mobilising disaster-response personnel with search-and-rescue expertise and assessment capabilities. The department said the personnel would support aerial and on-the-ground assessments of the affected areas.

The US government also announced $5 million in humanitarian assistance, according to the State Department. The announcement distinguished between personnel being mobilised and assistance being pledged, rather than confirming that all resources had already arrived in Panama.

US Southern Command said two helicopters, supported by the State Department's drug-control bureau, had delivered 907kg (2,000 pounds) of food to communities affected by the earthquakes.

The figures have not been independently verified and should be checked against official updates as they become available. Authorities had not announced when access to the isolated communities would be restored as of Saturday.