A strong earthquake struck off Panama’s Pacific coast today, rattling the region but causing no reported injuries or destruction. Seismologists pegged the magnitude at 6.2, though some early reports listed it higher at 6.6.
The tremor hit at 11:53 a.m. local time, or 16:53 GMT, with the epicenter in the ocean about 206 kilometers south of Punta Burica, close to the Costa Rica border. It sat at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Other monitoring groups, like Volcano Discovery, noted a similar spot 124 kilometers southeast of Burica.
Omar Smith, head of Panama’s National Civil Protection System, posted that no tsunami warnings went out. “We keep monitoring across the country,” he said. Officials confirmed the lack of alerts and ongoing checks. People felt the shake in parts of Panama, and reports trickled in from nearby Colombia, where the Colombian Geological Service logged it as 6.6. In Costa Rica, folks near the border sensed it too, but no harm came.
Panamanian media, such as Telemetro, mentioned a related 5.9 quake southwest of Isla Coiba around the same time, possibly an aftershock. U.S. outlets echoed the 6.2 reading and calm aftermath. This event follows a pattern of seismic activity in the area, driven by plate movements. Earlier quakes in March hit similar spots south of Panama, also without major issues. Authorities advise residents to stay ready for aftershocks.
As checks continue, the focus stays on safety in this active zone. No evacuations happened, and daily life picked up quickly.
