Powerful earthquake hits off the coast of Panama

On Friday, October 9, 2026, a powerful earthquake struck off the southern coast of Panama, near the rural community of Pitaloza Arriba, at a depth of 10 kilometers. Reports on the magnitude vary among sources, with initial estimates of 8.0 and 8.2, while the United States Geological Survey (USGS) later revised the figure to 7.6. The tremor was felt strongly in Panama City and as far as San José, Costa Rica, leading to mass evacuations of office buildings and public panic.

Following the seismic activity, the US Tsunami Warning System issued alerts for potential hazardous tsunami waves within three hours. The warning covers the Pacific coastlines of Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico, with an additional threat advisory issued for Hawaii. Furthermore, Chile’s Navy Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service released its own national tsunami alert. Despite the intensity of the event, Panamanian authorities reported no immediate casualties or major structural damage, and the Panama Canal Authority confirmed that the waterway continues to operate normally.