New Delhi: Panama has recorded more than 200 aftershocks following a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Friday, damaging hundreds
of homes, roads and bridges. The government has declared a national state of emergency to mobilise funds for relief and reconstruction as authorities continue to assess the damage.
At least 27 people were injured, while nearly 900 homes were damaged, according to emergency authorities. No deaths have been reported so far. The damage assessment is still underway, particularly in remote communities.
Nestor Luke, director of the University of Panama’s Institute of Geosciences, said the aftershocks were continuing but becoming weaker and less frequent. “We have already recorded more than 200 aftershocks, and they are continuing, but their magnitude is decreasing and the intervals between them are getting longer,” Luke told Reuters.
Panama declares emergency, allocates funds for relief
The government’s emergency declaration will allow it to allocate up to $100 million in relief funds. The economy ministry said the spending would remain within the country’s 2026 fiscal deficit target of 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).
President Jose Raul Mulino visited affected areas to deliver aid and called for urgent repairs to damaged roads and bridges so that relief supplies could reach communities. At least 14 bridges were damaged in the provinces of Veraguas and Los Santos, complicating recovery efforts. The United States has pledged $5 million in assistance and is sending a 20-member team to support rescue operations and assess infrastructure damage, US Ambassador Kevin Marino Cabrera said.
Schools shut as authorities assess damage
Authorities suspended classes nationwide on Monday as the country continued to assess the earthquake’s impact and monitor aftershocks.
Despite the damage, the Panama Canal reported that shipping operations remained unaffected. The waterway is a key global trade route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
The earthquake struck southern Panama on Friday, with its effects felt across the country. Emergency teams are continuing relief work while authorities assess damage to homes and infrastructure and monitor seismic activity.
