Magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes south-central Panama and damages buildings

9 October 2026

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck south-central Panama just before 15:00 local time (20:00 GMT) on 9 October 2026. The US Geological Survey put the epicentre about 10km (6.2 miles) from the town of Pitaloza Arriba, and the quake was registered as occurring at a depth of just 12km. About 4.6 million people felt moderate to severe tremors, according to the USGS, which said the effects of the quake were likely to be widespread. One side of a cathedral in Penonome collapsed along with one of its spires, buildings were damaged in Penonome and Sona, and many people were evacuated from buildings in Panama City, about 200km from the epicentre. Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino said his entire government was mobilising in response to the earthquake. Tsunami warnings were initially issued for 11 countries neighbouring Panama before the US Tsunami Warning System confirmed there was no threat. The Panama Canal was unaffected, the authority that oversees marine traffic through it said. No casualties had been reported at the time of the reports.