A powerful earthquake centered in southern Panama shook much of Costa Rica today. The long, rolling motion sent people out of homes and offices from the Southern Zone to the Central Valley. As of early afternoon, Costa Rican authorities had not reported any injuries or structural damage.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at magnitude 7.7 after initial readings ranging from 7.6 to 8.0. It placed the epicenter about 12 kilometers (7 miles) west-southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, a rural community on Panama’s Azuero Peninsula, at a depth of about 13 kilometers (8 miles).
The University of Panama’s Geosciences Institute placed the epicenter near TonosÃ, in Los Santos province. Early readings often differ between agencies and are usually revised as more station data comes in. In Costa Rica, the shaking was strongest in the Southern Zone. Residents also reported feeling it in San José, Tibás, Cartago, Tres RÃos, Turrialba, San Ramón, Puriscal, Parrita, Pérez Zeledón and Limón. Many said it lasted long enough to leave them dizzy.
The Costa Rican Red Cross said it checked with its committees nationwide. It confirmed that small objects fell in Laurel and Ciudad Neily, near the Panamanian border, and said its teams remained ready to respond. The National Emergency Commission had not yet released a damage assessment as of early afternoon.
The National Tsunami Monitoring System at the National University said there was no tsunami danger for Costa Rica, based on the information available after the quake. A U.S. tsunami warning center message issued shortly after the quake flagged a possible threat to parts of the Pacific coast of Central and South America.
If you are on the Pacific coast, follow updates from the National Emergency Commission. If you ever feel strong, long shaking while at the beach, or see the sea pull back suddenly, move inland or to high ground right away. Natural warning signs arrive before any official alert can.
Expect aftershocks as the U.S. Geological Survey recorded a magnitude 5.5 aftershock in Panama at 12:22 p.m., and more are likely over the coming days. Some may be felt in Costa Rica. If you feel one, drop, cover and hold on until the shaking stops. Afterward, check your home for cracks, gas smells or damaged wiring before going back to normal use. Report emergencies to 911.
In Panama City, buildings swayed and hundreds of people left offices and gathered in the streets. Panamanian authorities had not confirmed any casualties or damage as of early afternoon. The region sits where several tectonic plates meet, which makes strong earthquakes a recurring part of life on the isthmus. At 7.7, today’s quake matches the magnitude of the 1991 Limón earthquake, the strongest on record in Costa Rica, which killed 48 people in Costa Rica and 79 in Panama.
This story is developing and will be updated as authorities release new information.
