Powerful Earthquake Strikes Panama, Triggering Regional Tsunami Warnings

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.6 to 8.2 struck southern Panama, prompting widespread evacuations, tsunami warnings across Latin America, and alerts for Chile's Easter Island.

Key points

• The United States Geological Survey recorded the earthquake at a depth of 10 kilometers with an epicenter near La Pitaloza.
• The Panama Canal Authority reported that the crucial waterway was operating normally despite the tremor.
• The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued hazardous wave warnings for coasts including Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico.

Why it matters

A major seismic event in a critical geographic choke point like Panama threatens regional safety and poses potential hazards to maritime trade and coastal infrastructure across the Pacific basin.