Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake Strikes Panama Days After Powerful 7.7 Quake; Country Grapples With Aftershocks And Damage

Panama City: An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 struck Panama in the early hours of Tuesday, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS).

In a post on X, the NCS said, "EQ of M: 6.1, On: 13/10/2026 04:50:37 IST, Lat: 7.683 N, Long: 81.405 W, Depth: 10 Km, Location: Panama."

According to the NCS, the earthquake occurred at 4:50 am IST on Tuesday, at a depth of 10 km, with its epicentre located at latitude 7.683 North and longitude 81.405 West.

Earlier earthquake and aftershocks

Panama had earlier witnessed an earthquake of magnitude 7.7 on Friday night. The earthquake was followed by 147 aftershocks, some reaching magnitudes of 6.1 and 6.6, René García, director of the Emergency Operations Centre, told CNN, as reported by CNN.

India expresses solidarity with Panama

On Saturday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar expressed solidarity with the government and people of Panama following an earthquake on October 9, extending prayers to those injured and affected by the disaster.

In a post shared on X, Jaishankar said, “India stands with the Government and people of Panama following the earthquake. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with all those injured and affected, especially the families who have suffered loss and hardship.”

The Ministry of External Affairs also stated, “India conveys solidarity with the Government and people of Panama, following the earthquake.”

Tsunami warnings and emergency declaration

The US Embassy in Panama had warned of possible aftershocks and potential tsunami threats across nine countries in Central and South America.

Meanwhile, Panama declared a state of emergency on Saturday (local time) to coordinate relief efforts and assist communities affected by the earthquake, Xinhua reported.

Presidency Minister Juan Carlos Orillac, while addressing a press conference at the presidential palace, said the declaration would ensure that government agencies remained on standby and had the resources required to help affected communities, as reported by Xinhua.

Government coordinates relief operations

Orillac said President Jose Raul Mulino had ordered the formation of a commission to coordinate relief operations, manage resources and address the needs of affected communities. The government has also established donation collection centres, including one at Omar Park in Panama City, while provincial government offices will serve as additional collection points.

Earthquake damages infrastructure across Panama

The earthquake struck at 12:56 pm local time on Friday, with its epicentre about 39 kilometres northwest of Tonosi in Los Santos province, according to Xinhua. The quake damaged homes, schools, health facilities, roads and public buildings across several parts of the country, it added.

CNN, citing the US Geological Survey (USGS), reported a preliminary magnitude of 7.7. The report said several people had suffered minor injuries, with no fatalities or missing persons reported at the time. Homes, roads, hotels, government buildings, businesses and churches sustained structural damage, according to Panama’s civil protection system, CNN reported.

The most significant damage was reported in Coclé province on the southern coast, with some damage in Panama City, it said.

Transport disruptions and tsunami threat

Panama’s public transit system had suspended services on two metro lines, while the country’s main international airport was temporarily closed as a precaution before operations resumed later in the day, CNN reported, quoting the civil aviation authority as saying.

President Mulino called for calm, mobilised resources and visited an affected hospital in Penonome, where patients were evacuated and treated outdoors, CNN reported.

The US Tsunami Warning System had earlier warned of possible tsunami waves along some coasts before saying there was no longer a threat, it added.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)