Panama earthquake damages hotel and cathedral in Penonomé
A strong quake prompted a tsunami threat for Pacific coasts that was later canceled, with no immediate reports of deaths or injuries from the collapses.
The short version
- El Vocero reported that part of the old Hotel Dos Continentes in Penonomé collapsed with concrete slabs falling on parked cars but no injuries as rooms were unoccupied
- El Vocero reported one tower of the Penonomé cathedral collapsed onto a parking area with no reported victims
- NotiCel reported the USGS gave a magnitude of 7.7 while El Vocero cited a reviewed USGS magnitude of 7.6 with varying epicenter and depth figures
- The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center canceled the tsunami threat for Panama at 3:39 p.m. Puerto Rico time according to El Vocero
Structural damage in Penonomé
A strong earthquake struck Panama on Friday afternoon. El Vocero reported the partial collapse of the rear section of the old Hotel Dos Continentes in Penonomé with concrete slabs falling on parked vehicles. According to the same outlet the affected rooms were unoccupied and the Cuerpo de Bomberos reported no injuries. El Vocero also reported that one tower of the Penonomé cathedral fell onto a parking area with no reported victims.
El Vocero reported that authorities continued inspections and structural evaluations. The outlet cited preliminary official reports of damage in the provinces of Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos. Residents in Herrera reported objects falling inside homes according to El Vocero.
Magnitude and location details
El Vocero reported that the USGS confirmed a magnitude of 7.6 after an initial higher estimate with the quake at 1:56 p.m. Puerto Rico time. The outlet reported the epicenter about 6.2 miles west-southwest of Pitaloza Arriba at a depth of about 6.2 miles. NotiCel reported a magnitude of 7.7 after an initial 7.6 with the epicenter 39 km west of Tonosí in Los Santos province at a depth of 10 km.
El Vocero reported the USGS estimated maximum intensity of VIII on the Modified Mercalli scale. The outlet also reported aftershocks including a magnitude 5.0 at 3:04 p.m. Puerto Rico time. NotiCel reported aftershocks of magnitudes 6.1, 6.0 and 5.3.
Tsunami alert canceled
El Vocero reported that the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned of dangerous tsunami waves for some Panama coasts with heights between 3.3 and 9.8 feet above tide level. The outlet reported the threat was canceled in a final bulletin at 3:39 p.m. Puerto Rico time with only small sea-level fluctuations possible afterward.
El Vocero reported the alert had also covered coasts in Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, El Salvador and other Pacific territories with waves under one foot in most cases. Puerto Rico was not included in the tsunami threat according to El Vocero and the National Weather Service in San Juan had no tsunami alerts for Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Where the sources differ
Sources agree on significant damage in Penonomé including the partial hotel collapse and cathedral tower fall with no reported injuries or deaths and on the issuance and later cancellation of a tsunami threat. El Vocero reported a USGS magnitude of 7.6 after revision while NotiCel reported 7.7 after revision from 7.6. Epicenter and depth also conflict: El Vocero gave 6.2 miles west-southwest of Pitaloza Arriba at 6.2 miles depth while NotiCel gave 39 km west of Tonosí at 10 km depth. Initial magnitude estimates varied across reports from 7.6 to 8.0.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state final confirmed casualty figures if any beyond preliminary no-injury accounts at the two Penonomé sites. They provide no dollar estimate of total damage or number of structures affected beyond the two highlighted collapses and fallen objects in homes. The sources do not detail what specific instructions local Panamanian authorities gave coastal residents during the tsunami alert or the results of ongoing damage evaluations in other provinces.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Colapsan parte de hotel y torre de catedral tras potente terremoto de 7.6 en Panamá
- Reporting VIDEOS: Termina amenaza de tsunami para Panamá tras fuerte terremoto de magnitud 7.6
- Reporting Terremoto de 7.7 grados sacude hoy a Panamá
How we checked this
El Vocero provided the most detailed account of the Penonomé collapses, the specific USGS location near Pitaloza Arriba, the tsunami bulletin times and the absence of a threat to Puerto Rico. NotiCel reported the 7.7 magnitude, the Tonosí epicenter location and additional aftershock magnitudes. All casualty and damage information rests on preliminary reports cited in these two outlets.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.