A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck southern Panama on Friday, shaking the capital and other parts of the country, triggering evacuations and prompting authorities to assess possible damage. The U.S. Geological Survey initially put the tremor at magnitude 8.0, then revised it to 7.6 before confirming 7.7.¹

The two accounts broadly agree that the shallow quake was felt widely and that people left buildings as a precaution. One report placed the epicentre near the rural community of La Pitaloza and said the depth, estimated at 10 to 12 kilometres, increased the force experienced at the surface. It also reported a magnitude 5.5 tremor near Bajo Corral roughly half an hour later, followed by another aftershock near El Cacao.¹

Its emphasis was regional: the U.S. tsunami warning system issued an alert covering Pacific coasts and islands from Mexico to Peru, including parts of Central America, Colombia and Ecuador, as well as Hawaii.¹ Despite the disruption, the Panama Canal Authority said the waterway was operating normally, an important reassurance for a major global shipping route.¹

The other account focused more closely on conditions in Panama City, where “thousands of people left buildings gripped by fear,” particularly in a capital known for its high-rises.² It said there had been no reported casualties at that point, although material damage had been recorded.²

Authorities were evaluating impacts in Herrera, Azuero, Veraguas and Los Santos, among other areas, while urging residents to remain calm.² The reports therefore portray the same immediate emergency from different angles: one tracking a cross-border tsunami threat and critical infrastructure, the other documenting anxiety and the domestic inspection effort.