Following a pair of powerful earthquakes measuring 7.7 and 6.6 in southern Panama on October 9, 2026, UNICEF announced that 38,000 people, including 8,300 children, require urgent humanitarian aid. Government assessments confirm hundreds of damaged schools and health facilities, while regional tsunami warnings have since been rescinded.
USGS Confirms Epicenter of Twin Tremors
Southern Panama was struck by twin major earthquakes on October 9, 2026, according to the United States Geological Survey. The first major tremor, initially registered at an 8.0 magnitude before being revised to 7.6 and 7.7, was followed by a 6.6 magnitude event and more than 40 aftershocks. The epicentral zone was located 10 kilometers southwest of Pitallosa Arriba in the central Herrera province, at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers.
Residents across the capital experienced intense shaking, driving crowds into the streets of Panama City.
Central Provinces Suffer Heavy Structural Destruction
The heaviest destruction concentrated in the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera, Coclé, and Los Santos. In the city of Penonomé, falling debris from historical and commercial structures injured several people. The steeple of a cathedral, the governor’s office, and the Dos Continentes Hotel sustained significant damage. In the Los Santos province, the historic San Athanasio Church, designated a national heritage site in 1938, collapsed under the seismic force.
Civil protection authorities reported structural cracks across regional roadways, along with widespread power outages affecting multiple provinces. Public transportation saw immediate disruptions, with Panama City’s metro service temporarily suspended and two metro lines halted while passengers were evacuated from stations. Tocumen International Airport paused operations temporarily before reopening on Friday afternoon, while the Panama Canal Authority confirmed that shipping traffic through the waterway remained safe and operational.
UNICEF Appeals for Funds as Schools Suffer Damage
Preliminary government assessments indicate that 656 school buildings and 25 health centers suffered damage across the affected regions. UNICEF stated that 38,000 individuals, including 8,300 children, urgently need humanitarian assistance following the disaster.
Disruption of essential services, including access to safe drinking water and education, is severely impacting children's lives.
To support emergency medical operations in damaged areas, UNICEF delivered 16 tents to the country’s health department and appealed for 2.5 million dollars to aid affected children and families.
Presidential Appeals Follow Lifted Tsunami Warnings
President José Raúl Mulino urged citizens to maintain calm and stated that no fatalities had been officially confirmed as of Friday evening, though he cautioned that the figures could shift as rescue teams reach isolated areas. He also warned the public against using the crisis to cause panic or civil unrest.
Initial tsunami alerts issued by meteorological agencies for coastal areas in Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Chile, Peru, and Mexico were subsequently lifted. Neighboring leaders, including Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, Costa Rican President Laura Fernández Delgado, and Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, expressed solidarity with Panama as recovery efforts continued.