A magnitude 7.7 earthquake shakes Panama on Friday

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck southeastern Panama on Friday at a depth of 12.6 kilometers, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported. According to BBC News Mundo, the epicenter was located in La Pitaloza, a rural corregimiento in Herrera province, near the Pacific Ocean coast.

The tremor occurred at 12:56 local time and was strongly felt in Panama City, where authorities ordered precautionary evacuations of tall buildings, according to reports published by Infobae. Following the main quake, the Institute of Geosciences of Panama recorded more than 30 aftershocks in the affected area.

In response to the emergency, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino asked the Minister of Government and public agencies to report on the effects and urged citizens to remain calm. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education ordered the suspension of afternoon classes, while Tocumen International Airport temporarily suspended its operations.

The seismic event also prompted a temporary alert from the U.S. Tsunami Warning System for the coasts of several countries in the region, which was later lifted. The initial magnitude estimated by the USGS was 8.0, later revised to 7.6 and finally placed at 7.7, according to reports from BBC News Mundo and Contrapunto.