Strong earthquake in Panama damages Penonomé cathedral, tsunami alert for four countries

A strong earthquake struck the Pacific side of Panama on October 9 shortly before 1 p.m. local time, about 12 kilometres west-southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, ABC News reports. Reports put the magnitude at 7.6 to 7.7.

Aftershocks of magnitude 6.6 and 5.8 followed. The US issued a tsunami threat for Panama, Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador, later lifted. In Penonomé the cathedral and a government building were damaged and schools and offices closed; initial reports listed no deaths.

"The United States stands with the people of Panama," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.