A 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Panama’s southwest coast on Friday, prompting tsunami warnings for several neighboring countries.
The earthquake occurred at approximately 1:56 p.m. ET, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Two smaller earthquakes – a 5.5 in Bajo Corral and a 5.8 in El Cacao – shook the area shortly after.
Shortly after the earthquake, the U.S. Tsunami Center issued tsunami warnings for Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Panama.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake’s epicenter was about 6 miles southwest of Pita Rosa Arribas, a remote community near the southern tip of Panama. The impact depth was 6 miles.
The quake was also felt in the capital Panama City, shaking buildings and sending people evacuating onto the streets. The city is famous for its towering skyscrapers.
Visibly frightened residents gathered outside, awaiting news of the earthquake’s impact.
“We feel very strongly. It knocked things over in the kitchen, but we are okay, even though we are scared,” Rosendo Dominguez, 60, from Herrera province, told The Associated Press by phone. “Everyone is out there and scared.”
Omar Smith of the National Civil Protection Agency said damage was concentrated in the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos.
Panama is located along the “Ring of Fire,” the seismic fault lines surrounding the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur.