Major Earthquake Hits Panama, Injures At Least 27
The shallow tremor was felt across the Central American nation of around 4.5 million people, according to the National Civil Protection System. The post Major Earthquake Hits Panama, Injures At Least 27 appeared first…
Panama sits within the seismically active Pacific "Ring of Fire," a zone where the Cocos, Caribbean and Nazca tectonic plates interact, making Central America prone to periodic earthquakes and occasional volcanic activity. While the country has not historically experienced quakes as frequent or as destructive as some of its neighbours, powerful tremors do occur, and shallow, high-magnitude events are capable of significant structural damage even when loss of life is limited.
Coverage of Friday's 7.7-magnitude quake is broadly consistent across outlets: a shallow tremor struck central Panama, was felt nationwide, and led to collapsed buildings and roads, with at least 27 people injured and no fatalities reported so far, according to the National Civil Protection System. None of the reports yet detail the quake's exact epicentre, the extent of economic damage, or whether aftershocks are expected, suggesting authorities are still assessing the full impact.