Panama has recorded more than 200 aftershocks following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that injured at least 27 people and damaged nearly 900 homes. The government declared a national state of emergency to allocate relief funds.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
Panama has recorded more than 200 aftershocks following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck near the country's southern coast on Friday. The seismic event damaged hundreds of homes and infrastructure across central provinces, prompting the government to declare a national state of emergency over the weekend.
According to emergency authorities, no deaths have been reported, but at least 27 people were injured and nearly 900 homes have been damaged. Officials noted that these figures could rise as assessments continue in remote communities. The earthquake also damaged at least 14 bridges in the provinces of Veraguas and Los Santos.
The declaration of a state of emergency allows the government to allocate up to $100 million in relief funds without exceeding its 2026 fiscal deficit target of 3.5% of GDP, according to the economy ministry. President Jose Raul Mulino visited affected areas to deliver aid and called for urgent repairs to roads and bridges to facilitate relief efforts.
Nestor Luke, director of the University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences, told Reuters that the aftershocks are continuing but becoming less frequent and intense. "We have already recorded more than 200 aftershocks, and they are continuing, but their magnitude is decreasing and the intervals between them are getting longer," Luke said.
The United States has pledged $5 million in assistance and is sending a 20-member team to help with rescue operations and infrastructure assessments, said US Ambassador Kevin Marino Cabrera. Meanwhile, the Panama Canal stated that shipping operations remained unaffected by the earthquake.
Classes were suspended nationwide on Monday. The seismic activity also disrupted travel for international visitors, including Canadians stranded in the country. Patricia Zuccala, a Montreal resident vacationing with her 10-year-old daughter, described the initial tremors as violent, causing statues and decorations to crash to the ground.
"Everybody tried to make a beeline for the exit, but unfortunately, [my daughter] was almost trampled. There were people trying to jump on top of her and push her through the door. At that point I made the executive decision to grab her, and we dove under a table and covered our heads," Zuccala told CTV News.
Zuccala reported seeing large cracks in her hotel building in Río Hato and noted that many people were injured by falling objects. She and other travelers faced uncertainty regarding their return flights due to airport closures and conflicting information from travel providers. Sunwing stated that a flight to Montreal was scheduled for Monday "pending operational status of the airport," noting that a previous flight was cancelled after local authorities extended the airport closure due to aftershocks.
The earthquake highlights the vulnerability of infrastructure in seismically active regions and the logistical challenges of coordinating international aid and evacuations during ongoing aftershocks. The government's ability to access emergency funds without breaching fiscal targets is critical for rapid recovery, while the disruption to travel underscores the broader economic impact of natural disasters on tourism and transportation networks.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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