The Government of Bolivia rules out Bolivians affected by the earthquake recorded in Panama

Panama's official report recorded 27 minor injuries and damage to more than 400 infrastructures. /(EFE/ Bienvenido Velasco) The Government of Bolivia stated this Saturday that, so far, there are no Bolivian citizens affected in their physical integrity or health by the earthquake in Panama, according to preliminary reports from its diplomatic and consular network in the region. The Bolivian Foreign Ministry noted in a statement that it is maintaining permanent monitoring of the situation following the quake that shook the south and center of the Central American country on Friday. It also asked Bolivians who reside in or are passing through the affected areas to remain calm, take precautions, and follow the instructions of local authorities. The Executive expressed its solidarity with the Panamanian population and with the communities of Colombia and Costa Rica, where the tremor was also felt. The Bolivian consular offices activated emergency protocols and assistance channels to help the community abroad if necessary. The magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred on Friday at 12:56 p.m. local time, with its epicenter 12 kilometers west-southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, in the Panamanian province of Herrera, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The agency located the focus at a depth of 12.6 kilometers. AME4655. PENONOMÉ (PANAMA), 10/09/2026.- Patients of the Aquilino Tejeira Hospital are attended after the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that shook southeastern Panama, at a depth of 10 kilometers, and caused damage to several buildings and roads near the town of Tonosí, the epicenter of the tremor, this October 9./ (EFE/ Bienvenido Velasco) Panamanian authorities reported that the quake left at least 27 people with minor injuries, some 300 evacuated, and damage to more than 400 buildings. As of the latest official report, no deaths had been confirmed. The preliminary count included damage to 142 homes, four residential buildings, 188 schools, 20 health facilities, 26 government buildings, 13 churches, seven hotels, and nine bridges. Deterioration was also recorded on roads and water treatment plants. The provinces of Coclé, Herrera, Los Santos, and Veraguas concentrated part of the damage. In Penonomé, damage was reported to a church, a hotel, and offices of the governor's office. In Tonosí, a town near the epicenter area, there were houses with cracks and road access problems. Tocumen International Airport temporarily suspended its operations to inspect its facilities. The Panama Canal Authority reported that maritime traffic through the waterway continued normally, while technical teams evaluated the infrastructure. The Institute of Geosciences of the University of Panama recorded more than 100 aftershocks in the first hours after the earthquake. One of them exceeded magnitude 6.0, while the USGS reported movements of magnitude 5.8 and 5.5 near the affected area. The Institute of Geosciences recorded more than one hundred aftershocks in the first hours after the earthquake./(EFE/ Bienvenido Velasco) The initial differences between the measurements are explained by the data review carried out by seismological agencies after a large-scale event. The Panamanian institute initially estimated a magnitude of 7.2 and later raised it to 7.5, while the USGS updated its calculation to 7.7. The United States tsunami warning system issued a precautionary alert for sectors of Panama's Pacific coast and other countries in the region. Hours later, it canceled it after determining there was no tsunami threat. Panama is located in a zone of tectonic activity linked to the interaction of the Cocos, Nazca, and Caribbean plates. Specialists are analyzing whether the earthquake was related to the Azuero-Soná fault system, an active structure that crosses part of the south of the country. Panamanian authorities were continuing inspections of buildings, schools, health centers, roads, and aqueducts, while communities near the epicenter remained under surveillance due to the continuation of aftershocks.