Massive 7.7 Quake Hits Panama, Tsunami Warnings Issued

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the southwest coast of Panama, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) ^[6]. The quake, centered about 14km southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba, hit just before 1pm local time ^[2]. Tremors were felt strongly in Panama City, where buildings shook and residents evacuated into the streets^[3]. Footage from local television showed people fleeing structures, including on 12 de Octubre Avenue, while a sports presenter described a 'strong tremor' mid-broadcast ^[1].

The US Tsunami Warning System issued alerts for nine countries: Panama, Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Peru, and El Salvador ^[1][5]. Hawaii was also listed as potentially at risk. The warning states that hazardous waves could reach these coasts within the next three hours.

While the initial reports from Panama indicate no confirmed fatalities or major damage, the situation remains fluid ^[1][5]. A second earthquake, measuring 6.0 magnitude, struck the country shortly after the first, at 1:22pm local time, according to the University of Panama’s Institute of Geosciences ^[2].

Despite widespread concern, California officials have confirmed that no tsunami is expected for the U.S. West Coast ^[3]. However, Southern California is already dealing with dangerous surf and flooding caused by remnants of Hurricane Rachel, with parts of the Long Beach Peninsula boardwalk collapsing.

Multiple news outlets, including The Guardian, ABC News (AU), and CBS News, have reported the quake at magnitude 7.6 or 7.7, with slight variations in measurement ^[2][6][7]. The discrepancy has not been fully reconciled, though all sources agree on the region and impact ^[1][5].