Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Strikes Panama, Triggers Tsunami Alert as Canal Continues Operating
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A magnitude 7.7 earthquake shook Panama on Friday, October 9, with its epicenter near the rural community of La Pitaloza, in Herrera province, close to the Pacific coast, at a depth of 12.6 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey. The tremor was described as one of the strongest ever recorded in Panama's history, and despite its magnitude, the Panama Canal kept its operations running normally.
Tsunami Alert
The United States Tsunami Warning System warned of the possibility of dangerous waves along the coasts of Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico during the three hours following the quake, and also flagged a threat to Hawaii. The tremor was felt strongly in Panama City and was even perceptible in San José, the capital of neighboring Costa Rica.
Panama Canal's Response
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) reported that the interoceanic waterway continued operating normally, although it activated its emergency protocols and deployed technical teams to inspect its facilities. The agency stated that its priority was to safeguard employees, vessels and their crews, and neighboring communities. As of the time of the report, no damage or verifiable suspensions had been identified at Balboa, Cristóbal, Manzanillo International Terminal or Colón Container Terminal, although an individual assessment of each facility was still pending.
Other Impacts
The earthquake also caused damage to buildings and homes, in addition to aftershocks that prompted evacuations and safety inspections at various points across the country. Tocumen International Airport temporarily suspended its flights and preventively evacuated passengers and staff, pending verification of safety conditions and the control tower's functionality before resuming operations. The Colón Free Zone, for its part, called for the suspension of commercial activities as a precautionary measure given the possibility of further aftershocks.
Jonathan Tytell, a geophysicist at the United States National Earthquake Information Center, noted that the shallow depth of the earthquake made it particularly complex. As inspections continued at various facilities, the full extent of the damage and any possible logistical disruptions in the country remained to be determined.
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