A 7.7 earthquake shakes Panama

BarcelonaA 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the southeast of Panama this Friday at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The epicenter was located 12 kilometers from the town of Tonosí, in southern Panama, and about 239 kilometers from the capital. Afterwards, aftershocks of magnitude 6.1 and 6.0 were recorded, and a more recent one of 5.3. According to the latest report, there are at least 27 people with minor injuries and no fatalities. The country's president, José Raúl Mulino, has limited himself to asking the population to "remain calm". 300 people have been evacuated and there are more than 400 buildings affected by the earthquake, according to the latest data from the country's authorities.

The earthquake occurred at 12:56 local time (19:56 in Catalonia) and was felt strongly in some areas of the Panamanian capital, where several buildings in the old banking district were evacuated as a precaution, as confirmed by the Efe agency. The Tocumen International Airport in the capital had to close due to the earthquake. The Panama Canal also had to halt operations, but resumed them shortly after.

Meanwhile, the United States tsunami warning system has issued a tsunami threat alert for the Pacific coast of Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua following the Panama earthquake. In El Salvador, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources has alerted the population of a tsunami threat, with an estimated arrival time on the Salvadoran coast starting at 14:37 (20:37 GMT). The Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of the Chilean Navy has also warned of a tsunami threat and has declared a state of precaution for Easter Island, in the South Pacific.

In recent months, high-magnitude earthquakes have been recorded in Latin America. In Venezuela, on June 24, two consecutive earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 occurred, causing massive destruction in La Guaira, about 30 kilometers from Caracas. According to the latest report from the Venezuelan government, dated August 24, the earthquakes caused at least 6,509 deaths, caused moderate damage to 14,239 homes and severe damage to 11,001 others. In Colombia, on the morning of August 10, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake affected 500 municipalities in 16 departments, half of the 32 that the country has. A total of 486,917 people from 303,934 families suffered some type of impact. Colombian authorities have placed the death toll at 335 and the number of injured at 4,516.