▲ People gather outside a shopping mall after evacuating due to a strong earthquake in Panama.
A strong magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the Central American country of Panama, located in the seismically active "Ring of Fire," at 12:56 p.m. local time on the 9th.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter was located about 14 kilometers southwest of Pitalosa Arriba, a remote village situated at the southern tip of Panama.
The depth of the earthquake was 10 kilometers underground.
The USGS warned that tsunamis could occur within three hours in countries including Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico.
The USGS initially reported the magnitude as 8.0, but soon revised it to 7.6 before readjusting it to 7.7.
The Geosciences Institute of the University of Panama estimated the magnitude at 7.2.
The tremors were felt as far away as the neighboring country of Colombia.
As the earthquake was detected, buildings in Panama City, the capital located about 200 kilometers from the epicenter, shook, causing panic as residents evacuated into the streets.
Local media outlet La Prensa reported that about 30 aftershocks followed for an hour after the strong earthquake, including a magnitude 6.4 quake among them.
The USGS announced that aftershocks of magnitudes 5.8 and 5.6 had occurred.
Following the earthquake, the Ministry of Education suspended afternoon classes.
Authorities temporarily closed Tocumen International Airport in Panama City for safety reasons and suspended operations on Metro Lines 1 and 2.
The Panama Canal, a hub of global logistics, is currently operating normally.
A National Civil Protection official stated that damage was concentrated in central provinces such as Veraguas, Herrera, and Los Santos.
The Santiago Cathedral and city hall buildings in the Veraguas region were also partially damaged.
Power supplies in six provinces across Panama have experienced disruptions in the wake of the earthquake.
So far, no damage reports have been filed in Panama City, which is lined with high-rise buildings.
The Panama Civil Protection System stated that it is investigating whether there is any damage in areas near the epicenter.
Panama experiences frequent earthquakes as it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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