President Mulino says Panama faces major disaster after 7.7 earthquake

Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino declared that his country is facing a major disaster after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck on October 9, 2026, causing widespread structural damage to water treatment plants, highways, and public buildings, according to DW.com. El desastre que estamos enfrentando es grande stated President Mulino.

Magnitude Updates and Epicenter Details Across Reporting

The earthquake struck at 12:56 local time on Friday, October 9, 2026, with initial reports placing the magnitude at 7.6 before the United States Geological Survey (USGS) updated it to 7.7, as reported by DW.com. EFE noted that the USGS recorded the depth at 10 kilometers, while other reports noted the depth at 6 miles with the epicenter situated about 6 miles southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, near the southern end of Panama. The University of Panama’s Instituto de Geociencias (IGC) recorded a lower magnitude of 7.2 at a depth of 4 kilometers, located 39 kilometers northwest of Tonosí, per DW.com. The USGS initially estimated the magnitude at 8.0 before adjusting it.

Tsunami alerts were issued for Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. However, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) later informed that no tsunami danger existed after the initial alert. The IGC reported more than 80 aftershocks following the primary tremor, including shakes measuring 6.6, 6.1, 6.0, and 5.3, according to DW.com and EFE. Nestor Luque of the Instituto de Geociencias stated that local impacts with maximum waves of 3 meters remained possible in Isla Cañas and the southern part of Los Santos.

Quake Damages Panama Water Plants and Buildings

Nearly all of Panama’s water purification plants suffered structural damage, and the facility supplying the capital operated at only 20 percent capacity following the quake, DW.com reported. The Government Ministry and the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc) confirmed minor damage to hospitals in Tonosí and Pedasí. In the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera, and Los Santos, civil protection officials documented damaged private and public buildings, including the collapse of the historic San Atanasio church in Los Santos and a building in Playa Venado.

President Mulino stated that roads near the epicenter were destroyed during his visit to affected areas in Penonomé. Toda la gente está afuera asustada described a resident regarding the panic in the streets. Civil protection official Malitzie Rivera reported interrupted basic services and damaged buildings, while Omar Smith of the National Civil Protection urged citizens to stay calm and noted that capital skyscrapers avoided major impacts.

US and Latin American Leaders Offer Aid

Foreign governments mobilized rapid assistance as President Mulino evaluated structural needs across the country. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced via X that he is quickly mobilizing resources and personnel to assist Panama, as reported by DW.com. Regional leaders also offered backing; President Mulino said he had been contacted by various Latin American presidents and leaders, with Colombia recently managing its own severe earthquake emergency earlier in the year, according to EFE.

President Mulino urged citizens to maintain calm and avoid using the event to generate alarms and disorder on social media, instructing government ministries to coordinate relief. The earthquake arrived just three days prior to Panama’s scheduled national evacuation drill, compounding emergency management efforts in a region sitting within the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire.