International Desk, Oct 9 (EFE).- A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck southeastern Panama on Friday at 12:56 pm local time at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The epicenter was 12 kilometers (7.4 mi) from the town of Tonosí, in southwestern Panama, and about 239 kilometers (148 mi) from the capital, Panama City, according to the USGS report.
EFE confirmed the quake was strongly felt in Panama City, where several buildings in the old banking district were evacuated as a precaution.
The initial quake was followed by aftershocks of 6.1, 6.0, and 5.3 magnitudes.
The US Tsunami Warning System issued warnings on Friday for the Pacific coasts of Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua, after the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Panama, which is also under a tsunami advisory.
However, Colombian authorities ruled out a possible tsunami threat along the country’s Pacific coast, despite the quake also being felt in Colombian cities such as Medellín and Cartagena de Indias.
In Chile, the Navy’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOA) issued a tsunami warning on Friday and declared a state of alert for Easter Island (Rapanui).
In recent months, Latin America has experienced several major earthquakes.
On June 24, two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela in quick succession, causing massive destruction in La Guaira, about 30 kilometers (80 mi) from Caracas.
According to the latest report from the Venezuelan government released on Aug. 24, the earthquakes left at least 6,509 dead, with 14,239 homes sustaining moderate damage and 11,001 homes sustaining severe damage.
Colombia was struck on August 10 by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that affected 500 municipalities in 16 departments, half of the country’s 32 departments.
Colombian authorities have put the death toll at 335, the number of injured at 4,516, and the number of affected people at 486,917. EFE
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