A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck Panama on Friday morning, shaking buildings in the capital and prompting people to evacuate into the streets, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Local media reported that the tremors were also felt in parts of neighboring Colombia. Tremors were felt in Panama City, where buildings shook and residents rushed outside for safety. Videos circulating online showed people gathering in the streets, visibly shaken by the powerful earthquake. “We felt it very strongly. “Everyone is outside, scared. Further details on the impact of the earthquake were not immediately available.
The quake was centered about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, a remote community near Panama’s southern coast. It struck at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), the USGS said. It knocked things over in the kitchen, but we’re okay, though we’re very scared,” Rosendo Domínguez, 60, who is from Herrera province, where the earthquake struck, told The Associated Press by phone.
Panama’s Civil Protection agency said it was assessing possible damage in areas near the epicenter. The National Weather Service issued a tsunami warning on Friday for the coasts of Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Guatemala following the earthquake.
