Strong Panama quake shakes nation, but avoids major destruction

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Panama near Pitaloza Arriba on Friday, shaking the nation, triggering building evacuations, and prompting a tsunami warning along the Pacific coast. The seismic event was followed by subsequent aftershocks.

Despite the considerable force of the tremor, the country largely avoided the catastrophic destruction seen in other recent powerful earthquakes within the region. While damages were reported primarily in the central provinces, the nation appeared to have been spared widespread devastation.