Magnitude 7.6 earthquake shakes Panama, USGS reports
A series of powerful earthquakes, including a magnitude 7.7 event, struck Panama, causing building collapses and widespread fear. Authorities have reported injuries and are assessing damage across central provinces.
Why it matters
Major seismic activity in Central America poses significant risks to infrastructure and public safety, requiring urgent disaster response.
A second powerful 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck Panama Friday (October 9, 2026) afternoon following a series of aftershocks, the US Geological Survey said. It came after a magnitude 7.7 quake shook the Central American country, collapsing buildings near its epicenter and prompting evacuations.
The quake, which was felt as far away as neighboring Colombia, was centered about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba, in the central province of Herrera, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It struck at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles).
The USGS initially reported the quake as magnitude 8, then revised it to 7.6 and later to 7.7.
Visibly shaken residents of Panama City gathered outside as they waited for news of the quake’s impact on Friday (October 9, 2026).
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