A powerful earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale struck Panama on Friday, shaking buildings in the capital and triggering evacuations as residents rushed into the streets, according to initial reports from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and international news agencies.
The earthquake struck near the southern coast of the Central American country, with tremors felt strongly in Panama City, where witnesses reported buildings swaying and people abandoning offices and other structures as a precaution.
Reuters, citing the USGS, initially reported the magnitude at 8.0, while a subsequent Associated Press report placed it at 7.6, indicating that the earthquake's preliminary magnitude assessment had been revised or was subject to further verification.
Epicentre near southern coast
According to the USGS information cited by the Associated Press, the earthquake was centred approximately 14 kilometres southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, a remote community near Panama's southern tip.
Despite the distance from the capital, the shaking was strong enough to be felt in Panama City, where buildings trembled and residents evacuated into open spaces.
Witnesses described people gathering outside buildings while awaiting information about the earthquake's impact and the possibility of further tremors.
The earthquake occurred in a seismically active region where the movement of tectonic plates along the Pacific margin of Central America regularly produces earthquakes.
Tsunami threat along Pacific coast
The US National Tsunami Warning Center issued a statement warning of a potential tsunami threat along the Pacific coastline stretching from Mexico to Peru following the earthquake.
The warning raised concerns for coastal communities across Central and South America, where powerful offshore earthquakes can generate dangerous waves.
The Weather Network reported that the earthquake occurred shortly after 1.56 pm Eastern Daylight Time on Friday, at a depth of approximately 33 kilometres. Its epicentre was about 200 kilometres southwest of Panama City.
Damage assessment awaited
There were no immediate reports of casualties or structural damage in the initial accounts, although the strength of the earthquake prompted concerns about its possible impact on buildings and infrastructure.
The full extent of the damage remained unclear as authorities gathered information from affected areas.
The earthquake's magnitude and the potential tsunami threat made it a significant seismic event for the region, with further assessments expected to clarify the scale of its impact.
The reported magnitude remained preliminary, and the tsunami threat was subject to updates from monitoring agencies as additional seismic and oceanographic data became available.