A damaged building is pictured following an earthquake in Sona, Veraguas Province, Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Xinhua)
A powerful earthquake and a series of strong aftershocks rattled Panama on Friday, sending residents into the streets, disrupting water supplies and briefly halting flights as the government mobilized emergency personnel and resources.
The University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences measured the initial quake at magnitude 7.2. It struck at 12:56 p.m. local time (1756 GMT) at a depth of 4 kilometers. By 5:30 p.m. local time, more than 40 earthquakes had been recorded, including over a dozen with magnitudes above 5.0. A quake at 3:25 p.m. had a magnitude of 6.9.
The the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initially reported the first quake as magnitude 8, then revised it to 7.6 and later to 7.7.
In Panama City, Xinhua correspondents saw crowds pour out of buildings and gather along streets and in open spaces. Some people struggled to contain their emotions as they recalled the shaking, and others wept.
"Very, very strong. Even the building was swaying," said Tina Smith, who gathered outside with her colleagues. She said they were all safe.
Leonor Samudio, a local resident, said previous evacuation drills had helped staff at Caja de Ahorros, a Panamanian savings bank, respond to the emergency.
"We waited for the strong shaking to subside before starting to evacuate the building through the emergency stairs," she said. "We're waiting for instructions. Thankfully, we're all well."
Chelsy, a woman from Chiriqui province, described a tense scene as people rushed to leave.
"It was a very stressful moment, with people running," she said. "The good thing is that we have evacuation procedures, so we were all able to get out safely."
Amy, a foreign resident who has lived in Panama City for five years, said she had never felt such a strong quake during her stay.
"It's the first time I've evacuated the building for this," she said. "We had one in August, but it was not this strong."
The initial panic gradually eased, but recurring aftershocks kept many people outdoors. Some public places closed, traffic backed up on several roads, and residents of high-rise buildings said they were afraid to return home.
Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino said he had ordered agencies to promptly report the earthquake's effects and deploy personnel, resources and aid to affected communities. He said the entire government had been mobilized and that he would take part in response and coordination efforts in the hardest-hit areas.
As of 5:30 p.m., no deaths or missing persons had been reported, though some people were injured. The Chinese Embassy in Panama said it was in contact with Chinese institutions and the local Chinese community to check on their safety, with no casualties reported among them so far.
The quakes disrupted some public services. Panama's national water and sewer authority said earthquake-related power failures had halted or reduced production at several water treatment plants across the country.
Tocumen International Airport resumed flight operations after temporarily suspending services and evacuating people as a precaution. Airport officials said inspections had found no damage that would prevent operations from resuming.
Commercial areas also reopened, and immigration and customs staff returned to their posts. The airport said it would ask the national civil protection agency to conduct further inspections.
The country's Education Ministry canceled afternoon classes nationwide and suspended work at its administrative offices.
The Panama Canal Authority said canal operations remained normal. It activated emergency procedures and began inspecting facilities.
According to USGS's 2026 list of magnitude-7-or-stronger earthquakes, the earthquake was the fifth magnitude-7-or-stronger earthquake to hit Latin America this year, following two in Venezuela on June 24, one in Mexico on July 17, and one in Colombia on Aug. 10.
Panama lies along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a roughly 40,000-km-long belt of volcanoes and seismic activity encircling the Pacific Ocean.
Panama's civil protection agency said it was assessing areas near the epicenter for possible damage.
A damaged building is pictured following an earthquake in Sona, Veraguas Province, Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Xinhua)
A damaged building is pictured following an earthquake in Sona, Veraguas Province, Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Xinhua)
A damaged building is pictured following an earthquake in Sona, Veraguas Province, Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Xinhua)
People gather outside following an earthquake in Panama City, Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Jiaxu)
Vehicles run at a street following an earthquake in Panama City, Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Jiaxu)
Vehicles run at a street following an earthquake in Panama City, Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Jiaxu)
People gather outside following an earthquake in Panama City, Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Jiaxu)
Photo shows buildings in Panama City, Panama, after a severe earthquake hit the country, on Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Jiaxu)
People gather outside following a major earthquake in Panama City, Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Photo by Maria Carrasquilla/Xinhua)
People gather outside following a major earthquake in Panama City, Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Photo by Maria Carrasquilla/Xinhua)
People gather outside following an earthquake in Panama City, Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. Major earthquake strikes Panama on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Jiaxu)
People gather outside following an earthquake in Panama City, Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. Major earthquake strikes Panama on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Jiaxu)
A collapsed building and damaged vehicles are pictured after an earthquake in Penonome, central Cocle Province of Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Photo by Daniel Gonzalez/Xinhua)
A rescuer stands beside a damaged vehicle after an earthquake in Penonome, central Cocle Province of Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Photo by Daniel Gonzalez/Xinhua)
A collapsed building and a damaged vehicle are pictured after an earthquake in Penonome, central Cocle Province of Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Photo by Daniel Gonzalez/Xinhua)
Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino (3rd R) arrives at the quake-ravaged Penonome in central Cocle Province of Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A powerful earthquake and a series of strong aftershocks rattled Panama on Friday, sending residents into the streets, disrupting water supplies and briefly halting flights as the government mobilized emergency personnel and resources.
The University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences measured the initial quake at magnitude 7.2. It struck at 12:56 p.m. local time (1756 GMT) at a depth of 4 kilometers. By 5:30 p.m. local time, more than 40 earthquakes had been recorded, including over a dozen with magnitudes above 5.0. A quake at 3:25 p.m. had a magnitude of 6.9. (Panama's Presidency/Handout via Xinhua)
This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2026 shows a bell tower of a church collapsed after a strong earthquake in Penonome, central Cocle Province of Panama. A powerful earthquake and a series of strong aftershocks rattled Panama on Friday, sending residents into the streets, disrupting water supplies and briefly halting flights as the government mobilized emergency personnel and resources.
The University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences measured the initial quake at magnitude 7.2. It struck at 12:56 p.m. local time (1756 GMT) at a depth of 4 kilometers. By 5:30 p.m. local time, more than 40 earthquakes had been recorded, including over a dozen with magnitudes above 5.0. A quake at 3:25 p.m. had a magnitude of 6.9. (Photo by Daniel Gonzalez/Xinhua)
This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2026 shows a fallen statue after a strong earthquake in Penonome, central Cocle Province of Panama. A powerful earthquake and a series of strong aftershocks rattled Panama on Friday, sending residents into the streets, disrupting water supplies and briefly halting flights as the government mobilized emergency personnel and resources.
The University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences measured the initial quake at magnitude 7.2. It struck at 12:56 p.m. local time (1756 GMT) at a depth of 4 kilometers. By 5:30 p.m. local time, more than 40 earthquakes had been recorded, including over a dozen with magnitudes above 5.0. A quake at 3:25 p.m. had a magnitude of 6.9. (Photo by Daniel Gonzalez/Xinhua)
This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2026 shows a damaged building after a strong earthquake in Penonome, central Cocle Province of Panama. A powerful earthquake and a series of strong aftershocks rattled Panama on Friday, sending residents into the streets, disrupting water supplies and briefly halting flights as the government mobilized emergency personnel and resources.
The University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences measured the initial quake at magnitude 7.2. It struck at 12:56 p.m. local time (1756 GMT) at a depth of 4 kilometers. By 5:30 p.m. local time, more than 40 earthquakes had been recorded, including over a dozen with magnitudes above 5.0. A quake at 3:25 p.m. had a magnitude of 6.9. (Photo by Daniel Gonzalez/Xinhua)
This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2026 shows a bell tower of a church collapsed after a strong earthquake in Penonome, central Cocle Province of Panama. A powerful earthquake and a series of strong aftershocks rattled Panama on Friday, sending residents into the streets, disrupting water supplies and briefly halting flights as the government mobilized emergency personnel and resources.
The University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences measured the initial quake at magnitude 7.2. It struck at 12:56 p.m. local time (1756 GMT) at a depth of 4 kilometers. By 5:30 p.m. local time, more than 40 earthquakes had been recorded, including over a dozen with magnitudes above 5.0. A quake at 3:25 p.m. had a magnitude of 6.9. (Photo by Daniel Gonzalez/Xinhua)
A woman walks near a collapsed bell tower of a church after a strong earthquake in Penonome, central Cocle Province of Panama. A powerful earthquake and a series of strong aftershocks rattled Panama on Friday, sending residents into the streets, disrupting water supplies and briefly halting flights as the government mobilized emergency personnel and resources.
The University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences measured the initial quake at magnitude 7.2. It struck at 12:56 p.m. local time (1756 GMT) at a depth of 4 kilometers. By 5:30 p.m. local time, more than 40 earthquakes had been recorded, including over a dozen with magnitudes above 5.0. A quake at 3:25 p.m. had a magnitude of 6.9. (Photo by Daniel Gonzalez/Xinhua)
This photo taken on Oct. 9, 2026 shows a bell tower of a church collapsed after a strong earthquake in Penonome, central Cocle Province of Panama. A powerful earthquake and a series of strong aftershocks rattled Panama on Friday, sending residents into the streets, disrupting water supplies and briefly halting flights as the government mobilized emergency personnel and resources.
The University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences measured the initial quake at magnitude 7.2. It struck at 12:56 p.m. local time (1756 GMT) at a depth of 4 kilometers. By 5:30 p.m. local time, more than 40 earthquakes had been recorded, including over a dozen with magnitudes above 5.0. A quake at 3:25 p.m. had a magnitude of 6.9. (Photo by Daniel Gonzalez/Xinhua)
Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino (4th R) arrives at the quake-ravaged Penonome in central Cocle Province of Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A powerful earthquake and a series of strong aftershocks rattled Panama on Friday, sending residents into the streets, disrupting water supplies and briefly halting flights as the government mobilized emergency personnel and resources.
The University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences measured the initial quake at magnitude 7.2. It struck at 12:56 p.m. local time (1756 GMT) at a depth of 4 kilometers. By 5:30 p.m. local time, more than 40 earthquakes had been recorded, including over a dozen with magnitudes above 5.0. A quake at 3:25 p.m. had a magnitude of 6.9. (Panama's Presidency/Handout via Xinhua)
