Powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake hits off coast of Panama, prompting tsunami warning
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Panama, causing damage to homes and infrastructure while triggering aftershocks. Authorities have confirmed that the tsunami threat has passed and the Panama Canal remains operational.
Why it matters
As a major global trade artery, the operational status of the Panama Canal is critical to international supply chains.
People stand near a collapsed building in the aftermath of an earthquake. ( Jonathan Marquinez via Reuters )
Link copied Share Share article A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Panama, damaging homes, cutting power, halting flights and sending residents into the streets, while triggering more than a dozen aftershocks.
The quake happened off the country's southern coast at a 12.6-kilometre depth, according to the United State's Geological Survey.
Television images showed elderly residents in tears in the streets as a series of weaker aftershocks rattled the country.
Ricardo Brown, a 74-year-old in Herrera province in southern Panama, said the earthquake damaged a number of homes in his area of Las Minas.
"We're scared. It's just the two of us old folks here. The house has cracked, and we're afraid it could fall on us," Mr Brown said.
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5 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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