World · Latin America · 1 day ago
Panamanians stay outdoors after magnitude 7.7 earthquake damages homes
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Panama on Friday, damaging homes and public buildings and leaving about 30 people injured.
Residents in the central provinces of Herrera, Los Santos, Coclé and Veraguas were among those most affected.
Many people are staying in parks, plazas or shelters because their homes are damaged and aftershocks make them afraid to return.
Roads were damaged, leaving some communities cut off, and power was still out in Chitré.
Authorities said there had been no deaths reported, while they continued to assess the damage.
The government declared an emergency, allowing it to arrange up to $100 million in humanitarian aid.
Aid has begun arriving, including food, water and specialist staff sent by the United States.
Panamanians whose homes were damaged or destroyed by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake stayed in parks and public squares, afraid to return because of damage and aftershocks.
The earthquake struck on Friday and left about 30 people injured, authorities said.
The central provinces of Herrera, Los Santos, Coclé and Veraguas were the hardest hit.
Panama’s government declared a state of emergency on Saturday, allowing it to manage up to $100 million in humanitarian aid.
The United States sent bottled water, canned food, evaporated milk and disaster specialists on two flights.
- Who
- Residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed, along with Panama’s authorities and aid providers.
- What
- A magnitude 7.7 earthquake damaged homes and other infrastructure, leaving residents afraid to return.
- When
- The earthquake struck on Friday; the government declared a state of emergency on Saturday.
- Where
- Panama, with the central provinces of Herrera, Los Santos, Coclé and Veraguas most affected.
- Why
- Residents feared their homes were unsafe and were concerned about continuing aftershocks.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
We spent the whole night here, many of us did not sleep, we are already settled in, we are not leaving.
We cannot live here.
No fatalities have been reported so far.
With the emergency decree, we are quickly starting to activate that aid and we hope to soon restore normality so we can move forward.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Panama, damaging homes and other infrastructure.
Residents stayed in parks and public squares as they awaited help and feared returning to damaged homes.
The government declared a state of emergency, enabling it to manage up to $100 million in humanitarian aid.
The United States sent two flights carrying supplies and disaster specialists.
- Magnitude
- 7.7
- Injuries
- About 30 people
- Hardest-hit provinces
- Herrera, Los Santos, Coclé and Veraguas
- Emergency aid ceiling
- Up to $100 million
- U.S. aid flights
- Two flights with supplies and disaster specialists
Sources
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