Panama City.- Several regions in eastern Panama were shaken this Monday by a 7.4 magnitude earthquake with its epicenter in Colombia, according to a preliminary report from the Panamanian Institute of Geosciences, which triggered the evacuation of buildings in the capital and other cities across the country.
The seismic movement was recorded at 07:34 local time (12:34 GMT) located in Colombia, 350 kilometers southeast of the Ecuadorian town of Jaqué, according to that report.
Read more: A 6.7 magnitude earthquake shakes most of Colombia
For its part, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) placed the earthquake’s magnitude at 7.4, with its epicenter east of San José del Palmar.
In Panama, the earthquake’s vibrations lasted between 40 seconds and a minute, according to authorities from the Institute of Geosciences at the University of Panama (state-run), and were felt in the Darién province and the Guna Yala comarca, bordering Colombia, as well as in the East Panama province.
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In the Panamanian capital and satellite cities, numerous buildings were preventively evacuated, including health centers such as the Santiago Barraza polyclinic in La Chorrera.
People stood outside the buildings for a while, a measure supported by relief authorities, who asked them to remain calm and return to the structures provided they showed no signs of damage.
About an hour after the event, no material damage or injuries had been reported in Panama due to the earthquake, according to the competent authorities.
