Panama records more than a dozen aftershocks following major earthquake

Panama continued to experience intense seismic activity Friday after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the country’s southern region, with more than a dozen aftershocks reported in the hours that followed. Several registered magnitudes of 5 or higher, according to reports from the University of Panama’s Institute of Geosciences cited by international media.

Among the strongest aftershocks were two tremors measuring magnitudes 6.1 and 6.0 near Tonosí, an area close to the main earthquake’s epicenter. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) also recorded a magnitude 5.5 earthquake near Bajo Corral, Panama, at a depth of approximately 10 kilometers.

The main earthquake struck at 12:56 p.m. local time. The USGS established its magnitude at 7.7 after preliminary estimates ranged as high as 8.0 before being revised.

The epicenter was located approximately 12 kilometers west-southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, at a depth of about 12.6 kilometers. Seismic activity remained under observation as authorities monitored the possibility of further aftershocks.