7.7 magnitude earthquake strikes Panama, triggers tsunami warnings across Latin America

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near the southern coast of Panama on October 9, 2026, triggering widespread tsunami warnings across Central and South America. While the critical Panama Canal continues to operate normally, the tremor caused structural damage in Herrera province, collapsed a historic tower in Penonome, and forced the temporary closure of Panama City's metro lines and international airport. President José Raúl Mulino has called for calm as emergency services assess the impact.

Earthquake details and epicenter

• ▪A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck near the southern coast of Panama on Friday, October 9, 2026, at a depth of approximately 10 to 12.6 kilometers
• ▪The epicenter of the October 9, 2026 earthquake was located near the rural community of La Pitaloza (also reported as Pitaloza Arriba) in Panama's southern Herrera province
• ▪The October 9, 2026 earthquake was felt as far away as San Jose, the capital of neighboring Costa Rica

Impact on transportation and infrastructure

• ▪The operator of the Panama City Metro temporarily suspended service on two transit lines for safety reasons following the October 9, 2026 earthquake
• ▪Panama's main international airport was temporarily closed as a precautionary measure following the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Panama on October 9, 2026
• ▪The Naturgy power company reported electricity supply disruptions across six Panamanian provinces following the October 9, 2026 earthquake
• ▪The Panama Canal Authority reported that operations along the critical trade waterway remained normal and unaffected by the October 9, 2026 earthquake

Government response and school closures

• ▪Panama's President José Raúl Mulino called for public calm and instructed the minister of government to provide information on the October 9, 2026 earthquake's effects
• ▪Panama's Ministry of Education ordered the nationwide closure of schools and canceled classes for the remainder of Friday, October 9, 2026

Tsunami warnings and alerts

• ▪The US Tsunami Warning System projected potential tsunami waves of one to three meters along some coasts of Panama, with less intense waves possible for other regional nations
• ▪The US Tsunami Warning System declared a tsunami threat to Hawaii, while Chile's navy also issued a tsunami alert following the October 9 Panama earthquake
• ▪The US Tsunami Warning System warned that hazardous tsunami waves were possible along the Pacific coasts of Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico

Recent south American earthquakes

• ▪In August 2026, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia, resulting in approximately 289 to 300 deaths
• ▪In June 2026, twin earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, causing widespread devastation and killing more than 6,400 people