A magnitude 7.7 earthquake shakes Panama, prompting evacuations

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Panama on Friday morning, shaking buildings in the capital and prompting widespread evacuations. The seismic event, which was felt as far away as neighboring Colombia, had its epicenter located approximately 10 kilometers southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza.

Following the initial morning tremor and a series of subsequent aftershocks, a second powerful earthquake measuring magnitude 6.6 struck the country on Friday afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The compounding seismic activity resulted in building collapses near the epicenter, according to reports.