Panama 7.6 Quake Triggers Tsunami Alerts

USGS revised a quake off Panama's southern coast from a preliminary 7.7–8.0 to magnitude 7.6. The epicenter sat near Pitaloza Arriba at about 10 kilometers depth. Buildings swayed in Panama City. A cathedral collapsed in Penonomé. No fatalities were reported. Evacuations followed in Panama City and Costa Rica's capital, with tremors felt in Colombia. Two aftershocks above magnitude 5 struck. USGS warned of potential landslides and liquefaction. Tsunami alerts covered Panama, Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador. Panama's Civil Protection agency assessed damage near the epicenter. CONTESTED: Outlets kept citing 7.7 or 8.0 after USGS set 7.6. The Independent, by Mrinmay Dey and Elida Moreno, reported tsunami alerts for Hawaii and nine countries. Hawaii's tsunami center said no threat to the islands; KITV reported the same. Wire accounts said early damage reports were mixed. Civil Protection continues damage checks near the epicenter