A massive earthquake has struck Panama this evening, rocking buildings and sparking a widespread tsunami alert. The tremor was initially recorded at magnitude 8.0 before the USGS revised its estimate down, with the agency now putting it at magnitude 7.6. It was detected near Pitaloza Arriba in Panama, according to the USGS. Following the quake, buildings were evacuated and people took to social media to share their horror. One user on X wrote: “Just now, there was an earthquake in Panama. I’m scared to death. It was very strong. I’m scared. My dogs are frightened. I didn’t know what to do.” A “potential tsunami threat” was initially issued for nine countries – Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua, Panama, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, El Salvador and Costa Rica – by NOAA. However, the threat has since been downgraded, with the latest assessment listing potential tsunami waves for Panama and Ecuador.
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