Panama City:A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck Panama, causing significant tremors in the capital city and other regions, as well as in parts of Colombia.

According to Qatar News Agency, the US Geological Survey reported that the earthquake’s epicenter was located 12 kilometers west-southwest of Pitaloza Arriba in the Herrera province, with a depth of 12.6 kilometers.

Several homes and buildings sustained damage across multiple provinces. In response to the earthquake, Panama’s education ministry decided to close schools nationwide. However, the Panama Canal Authority confirmed that its navigation operations were unaffected by the quake.

Omar Smith Gallardo, the director of Panama’s national civil protection system, indicated that the most severe damage occurred in the provinces of Veraguas, Herrera, and Los Santos. Authorities are actively assessing the situation near the epicenter, and no casualties have been reported so far.

Following the seismic event, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued alerts for potential tsunamis and hazardous waves along the coasts of several countries, including Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico. There is also a possible threat extended to Hawaii.