A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Panama's Azuero Peninsula on October 9, 2026, according to the US Geological Survey, triggering a tsunami warning for parts of the Pacific coast. By October 13, officials reported more than 200 aftershocks, 27 injuries and no confirmed deaths, with damage spread across several southern provinces.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in southern Panama at 12:56:06 p.m. local time (17:56:06 UTC) on Friday, October 9, 2026. The agency placed the epicenter on the Azuero Peninsula, about 7 miles (roughly 11 km) west-southwest of the rural settlement of Pitaloza Arriba, at coordinates 7.587°N, 80.769°W, with a depth of 12.6 km (7.8 miles).
Some regional outlets, citing Panama's National Seismic Science Center (NCS), placed the epicenter about 39 km northwest of Tonosí in Los Santos province — a discrepancy typical of early agency estimates that use different seismic networks.
Tsunami warning and immediate effects
Shortly after the quake, the US National Weather Service issued a tsunami warning covering Panama's Pacific coast. The Jerusalem Post reported the warning also extended to Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico, while other accounts described it as covering Colombia, Ecuador and the broader Central American Pacific coast. No tsunami damage has been reported.
In Panama City, roughly 200 km from the epicenter, the director of the University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences said residents felt about 40 seconds of shaking; some areas closer to the epicenter reported longer tremors. The Panama Canal continued operating with no reported shipping interruptions, according to the Jerusalem Post. Tocumen International Airport briefly suspended operations as a precaution, per Wikipedia's summary of official reporting, and power outages were reported across six provinces.
Casualties and damage
Panamanian authorities have consistently reported 27 people injured and no fatalities as of October 13. Damage assessments, however, grew as inspections continued in the days after the quake, which is described as the strongest to hit Panama since 1882.
How damage estimates grew over four days
Date of report
Homes damaged
Schools affected
Other reported damage
Source
Oct. 9–10
~426
188
21 health facilities; some building collapses in Penonomé; a damaged church
Rio Times Online / Jerusalem Post
Oct. 13
~900
—
14 bridges partially or fully destroyed
Aaj Tak
Cumulative total
—
—
2,097 structures damaged or destroyed nationwide, including homes, schools, health facilities, government buildings and churches; nine bridges damaged in initial assessments
Wikipedia, citing Panama's National Civil Protection Service
An aftershock sequence that keeps growing
Aftershock counts also rose with each update. The Jerusalem Post reported "more than 40 aftershocks" in the first day. By the weekend, Panamanian emergency officials cited by Amar Ujala put the figure at 147, including shocks as strong as magnitude 6.1 and 6.6. Wikipedia's account, drawing on later official tallies, puts the eventual total above 350, with the largest aftershock measured at Mw 6.6. On October 13, the director of the University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences, Nestor Luk, said more than 200 aftershocks had been recorded and that their intensity was gradually decreasing, according to Aaj Tak.
Amar Ujala additionally reported a magnitude 6.1 aftershock early Tuesday, October 13, at a depth of about 10 km, among the continuing sequence following the main quake.
Government and international response
President José Raúl Mulino declared a state of emergency on Saturday, October 10, allowing the government to allocate relief funds — reported by regional media as up to US$100 million — without further legislative approval, according to Rio Times Online. Mulino set up a three-member commission to coordinate aid and reconstruction, made up of Minister of the Presidency Juan Carlos Orillac, Canal Affairs Minister José Ramón Icaza and Vice Minister Virna Luque.
All ministers and institutions must be available and have the resources for solidarity aid to everyone affected.
— Juan Carlos Orillac, Panama's Minister of the Presidency, quoted by La Estrella de Panamá via Rio Times Online
The United States sent a CH-47 Chinook helicopter from Joint Task Force-Bravo to move supplies into the Azuero peninsula and deployed at least 20 search-and-rescue and structural-assessment specialists from Virginia and California, Rio Times Online reported. Aaj Tak additionally cited US$5 million in US financial assistance.
What is still unknown
No official death toll had been confirmed as of October 13, and reports from different outlets and dates vary on exact damage and aftershock totals as assessments continue. The USGS estimated potential economic losses at 1% to 10% of Panama's GDP, according to the Jerusalem Post, though a final damage cost has not been published by Panamanian authorities.
Questions
What was the magnitude of the Panama earthquake?
The US Geological Survey recorded it at magnitude 7.7, striking on October 9, 2026, at a depth of 12.6 km on Panama's Azuero Peninsula.
Where exactly did the earthquake hit?
USGS placed the epicenter near Pitaloza Arriba on the Azuero Peninsula; some regional reports citing Panama's seismic agency placed it near Tonosí in Los Santos province instead.
How many aftershocks have there been?
Counts rose over time: over 40 in the first day (Jerusalem Post), 147 by the weekend (Amar Ujala), more than 200 by October 13 according to the University of Panama's geosciences institute (Aaj Tak), and over 350 in Wikipedia's cumulative summary of official data.
Were there any deaths?
As of October 13, 2026, Panamanian authorities had reported no deaths, but at least 27 people were injured.
Was a tsunami warning issued?
Yes. The US National Weather Service issued a tsunami warning for Panama's Pacific coast shortly after the quake on October 9; reports vary on exactly which other Pacific coast countries were included.
How the world is telling it
HindiHindi-language outlets (Aaj Tak, Amar Ujala, News18 Hindi) framed the story around the rising aftershock count and cited Panama's NCS and the University of Panama's geosciences institute directly, emphasizing comparisons to smaller daily tremor magnitudes and tracking India's foreign ministry message of solidarity with Panama.
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