Collapsed buildings, damaged roads and problems with the distribution of drinking water. It is the first assessment of the violent earthquake that hit Panama on Friday 9 October, followed by over one hundred aftershocks. The earthquake, initially estimated at magnitude 8 by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), was later downgraded to 7.6-7.7. Panamanian authorities have not confirmed any casualties, while Civil Protection has reported some injuries. The tsunami warning issued immediately after the earthquake has been lifted.
The main shock was recorded at 12.56pm local time, 7.56pm in Italy, with its epicenter near the town of Pitaloza Arriba, in the central-southern part of the country. The earthquake was also felt in the capital Panama City, where thousands of people abandoned buildings and poured into the streets.
Collapsed hotels and churches, damage from the earthquake in Panama: video
Among the places most affected is Penonomé, in the province of Coclé, about 150 kilometers from the capital. Here the rear part of the Hotel Dos Continentes, a three-story structure located along the Pan-American Highway, collapsed. The rubble overwhelmed some parked cars.
🇵🇦 | M7,6 | URGENT: New images show the magnitude of the damage recorded at the Hotel 2 Continents, located in Penonomé, Panama. https://t.co/4TdtcDzwt6
— Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) October 9, 2026
One of the two towers of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist collapsed during the earthquake. The Government building of Coclé was also seriously damaged, with the collapse of an entire portion of the building.
The authorities’ checks also concern homes, schools, hospitals and fire stations. The first government report reports damage in the central provinces, particularly in Herrera, Veraguas, Los Santos and Coclé. Minor damage to four residential buildings was reported in the capital.
Unreal. Watch the folks get jolted to the ground as buildings fall in the backdrop. Prayers for Panama today 🙏🏽 https://t.co/CDqidVdU5g
— Chris Roth (@chrisroth408) October 9, 2026
President José Raúl Mulino went to Penonomé to personally verify the situation and coordinate assistance interventions.
Drinking water problems: the capital’s plant is running at 20% capacity
One of the main critical issues concerns the water system. According to the first report from the Panamanian government, cited by the Efe agency, almost all of the country’s drinking water treatment plants have suffered damage. The National Institute of Aqueducts and Sewerage (Idaan) announced that the Federico Guardia Conte power plant, located in Chilibre and essential for the supply of Panama City and San Miguelito, was only operating at 20% of its capacity due to electrical problems following the earthquake.
Impressive images of the earthquake in #Panama 🙏🕊️ https://t.co/MhdanyveCl
— Cristian Crespo F. 🇨🇺 (@cristiancrespoj) October 9, 2026
The reduction in production has caused irregularities in the distribution of drinking water. The body has invited the population to limit consumption while technical checks on the plants continue. Electricity outages were also reported in six provinces.
Over 100 tremors after the earthquake, tsunami warning lifted
The main earthquake was followed by a long seismic sequence. The Institute of Geosciences of the University of Panama recorded 107 successive tremors, according to director Néstor Luque. These include a second earthquake of magnitude 6.6, recorded about two and a half hours after the first. The sequence has been associated by Panamanian experts with the Azuero-Soná fault system.
In the meantime, the tsunami emergency has ended. The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had initially warned of the risk of rogue waves along some Pacific coasts, but later revoked the warning. In the final bulletin of October 9, it specified that there were no longer tsunami warnings or threats relating to the event in force.