Panama's government declares a state of emergency after two strong earthquakes

The Panamanian government declared a state of emergency on Saturday after the country was shaken by two strong earthquakes and aftershocks that lasted for hours, causing buildings to collapse and damage in all 10 provinces and two indigenous territories.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the two earthquakes on Friday had magnitudes of 7.7 and 6.6 and an epicenter about 10 kilometers southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba, in the central province of Herrera, at a depth of 10 kilometers. The tremors were also felt in neighboring Colombia.

So far, authorities have not attributed any deaths to the two earthquakes, but 27 people have been injured, with injuries ranging from mild to moderate. The Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac, announced a state of emergency at a press conference in Panama City, stating that homes, schools, health facilities, roads, and hotels are among the damaged structures.

The damage is concentrated mainly in the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera, Coclé, and Los Santos. According to the civil protection agency, approximately 420 homes and a similar number of public schools were damaged, in addition to seven hotels, at least 13 churches, and nine bridges.

Quoted by The Guardian, in the colonial town of Los Santos, located about 64 kilometers from the epicenter, several houses and a historic Catholic church collapsed. Toni Jiménez, a 90-year-old resident, sitting under a tent with family members while awaiting instructions from the government, said: "I've been here since one o'clock yesterday afternoon and haven't moved. This is terrible. I can tell you for sure that I've never seen anything like this in 90 years. It was very violent — really very violent."

The church of San Atanasio, which collapsed, was classified as a national historic landmark in 1938. Authorities stated that some communities remain isolated due to landslides and damaged roads. On Isla del Caña, near Los Santos, approximately 300 people were evacuated due to rising sea levels and rough seas.

A water treatment plant in Panama City was operating at only 20% capacity on Saturday, and six hospitals set up tent structures with folding beds. Tocumen International Airport suspended operations after the first earthquake, but reopened a few hours later.

The Panama Canal Authority stated that navigation in the canal remains normal. The President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, appealed for calm among the population, emphasizing that "what happened should not be used to create panic or confusion."