A magnitude 7.7 earthquake shook central and southeastern Panama on October 9, destroying homes and buildings in a region of the country known for tourism. Operations in the Panama Canal, which were not near the epicenter of the earthquake, were not affected.
The country continued to experience hundreds of aftershocks in the days following the earthquake. No fatalities were reported, but at least 27 people were injured and nearly 900 homes were damaged, according to the Panamanian government, which declared a state of emergency in the days after the quake. This will allow the government to allocate up to $100 million in relief funds without requiring further legislative approvals.
The government reports that at least 14 bridges were damaged in the provinces of Veraguas and Los Santos. According to the office of US Ambassador to Panama Kevin Marino Cabrera, the United States has pledged at least $5 million in assistance to Panama and has sent a 20-person team to help with rescue efforts and infrastructure assessments.
Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino visited some of the affected areas in central and southern Panama over the weekend and promised government help to rebuild homes that were destroyed by the earthquake. He also said experts would be sent to assess hospitals and other medical facilities in the affected areas to ensure they were safe to occupy and continue to use.
Government Minister Jose Ramon Icaza said he was preparing a legislative package to finance the construction of hundreds of homes destroyed by the earthquake, citing a similar earthquake in 2003 in Puerto Ammuelles, after which more than 300 homes were built in a short time.
Panamanian Education Minister Ventura Vega said schools and educational facilities in the central province of Herrera showed significant signs of damage after the earthquake and would need to be repaired and rebuilt.
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