A 7.7-magnitude earthquake shook the central coast of Panama on Friday, prompting tsunami warnings for several neighboring countries.
The earthquake hit around 1:56 p.m. ET, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Two smaller quakes — a 5.5-magnitude quake in Bajo Corral and a 5.8 in El Cacao — shook moments later.
At least four more aftershocks, registering magnitudes between 4.8 and 5.0 were detected across the southern tip of the country in the two hours following the initial 7.7 earthquake.
The U.S. Tsunami Center flagged tsunami warnings for Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Peru, as well as Panama, shortly after the quake.
The earthquake was centered about 6 miles southwest of the remote community of Pitaloza Arriba, near Panama’s southern tip, the USGS said. It struck at a depth of 6 miles.
Tremors were also felt in the capital, Panama City, where buildings shook and people evacuated into the streets. The city is known for its tall skyscrapers.
Visibly shaken residents gathered outside as they waited for news of the quake’s impact.
“We felt it very strongly. It knocked things over in the kitchen, but we’re OK, though we’re very scared,” Rosendo Domínguez, 60, who is from Herrera province, told The Associated Press by phone. “Everyone is outside, scared.”
Omar Smith of the National Civil Protection Service said the damage was concentrated in the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos.
The province of Coclé said the governor’s palace there suffered significant structural damage, but that staff members were safely evacuated. The local government also urged community members to remain calm in the quake’s aftermath.
Panama’s National System for Civil Protection said it is monitoring for reports of damage throughout the country.
Panama lies along the “Ring of Fire,” the line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur.
