The CEUR of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala warned, following the earthquake recorded on Friday, October 9 in Panama, that prevention against seismic risk costs a fraction of what reconstruction after a disaster demands. The center argued that the geological threat to Guatemala is inevitable, but that vulnerability depends on financial and urban decisions.
Lack of preparedness can translate into destruction of infrastructure and buildings, economic paralysis, disruptions in supply chains, and declines in fiscal and private revenues. It also forces the redirection of health, education, and infrastructure resources toward the emergency and reconstruction.
Guatemala's seismic history
Guatemala recorded a magnitude 7.5 earthquake on the Motagua fault in 1976 that altered its social and urban geography. The disaster caused more than 23,000 deaths and accelerated informal urbanization toward the metropolitan area.
The earthquakes of 2012, with a magnitude of 7.4, and of 2014, with a magnitude of 7.3, again affected the department of San Marcos and the western part of the country. The CEUR pointed to them as part of the seismic recurrence that conditions the region.
The entity stated that "the interaction between the tectonic plates of our region gives no respite." Its argument distinguishes between the geological threat, which it considers inevitable, and the exposure built through the location, condition, and lack of reinforcement of the bui…
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A drone view shows vehicles crushed beneath debris from a collapsed building after an earthquake struck near the southern coast of Panama, in Penonome, Panama, October 10, 2026. REUTERS/Enea LebrunFollowing the earthquake recorded on Friday, October 9 in Panama, the CEUR of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala warned that prevention against seismic risk costs a fraction of what reconstruction after a disaster demands. The center argued that the geological threat to Guatemala is inevitable, but that vulnerability depends on financial and urban decisions. Lack of preparedness can translate into destruction of infrastructure and buildings, economic paralysis, disruptions in supply chains, and declines in fiscal and private revenues. It also forces the redirection of health, education, and infrastructure resources toward the emergency and reconstruction. Guatemala recorded a magnitude 7.5 earthquake on the Motagua fault in 1976 that altered its social and urban geography. The disaster caused more than 23,000 deaths and accelerated informal urbanization toward the metropolitan area. The earthquakes of 2012, with a magnitude of 7.4, and 2014, with a magnitude of 7.3, again affected the department of San Marcos and the western part of the country. The CEUR pointed to them as part of the seismic recurrence that conditions the region. A statement from the Center for Urban and Regional Studies warns of the economic and social consequences of unaddressed seismic risk in Guatemala. (Illustrative image Infobae)The entity stated that "the interaction between the tectonic plates of our region gives no respite." Its argument distinguishes between the geological threat, which it considers inevitable, and the exposure built by the location, condition, and lack of reinforcement of infrastructure. Resilience, according to the university center, requires technical, structural, and financial capacity to absorb an impact and recover quickly. It does not depend on luck or passive resistance. Technical studies and proper structural reinforcement represent a minimal portion of the resources demanded by a disaster, the organization noted. It also emphasized that no risk can be managed, mitigated, or transferred if it has not been previously quantified. The warning was directed at Guatemalan institutions, municipalities, and companies, urging them not to wait for a new major seismic event to assess and transfer their risks. The activity of the Pacific Ring of Fire was once again exposed by the earthquakes in Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama. Two movements of magnitude 7.6 and 7.7, followed by an aftershock of 6.6 and other secondary quakes, shook southern Panama during the afternoon. The United States Geological Survey initially reported a preliminary magnitude of eight for the first earthquake, which it later adjusted to 7.6 and subsequently to 7.7. File photo for illustration: The CEUR of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala warned that seismic risk prevention costs a fraction of post-disaster reconstruction. (Social Media)The epicenter was located 10 kilometers southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, in the province of Herrera, at a depth of 10 kilometers. The quake caused building collapses near the affected area, evacuations throughout Panama, and a tsunami alert for the coasts of Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala, with waves forecast between one and three meters. The earthquake was also felt in Colombia and had aftershocks of up to 5.8 in the hours that followed. The National Tsunami Warning Center declared the threat for several countries in the region, though it ruled out risks for the United States. The GDACS system estimated that up to 530,000 people were exposed to intensities equal to or greater than grade VII on the Modified Mercalli scale. For the CEUR, the episode is part of a sequence of earthquakes that hit Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama in recent months. On June 24, a double quake of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 struck the Venezuelan state of La Guaira and left more than 6,500 dead, according to figures from the country's official sources. On August 10, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake in the municipality of San José del Palmar, in the Colombian department of Chocó, caused at least 111 deaths and 87 injuries. Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella reported that the quake left 61 buildings collapsed, 18 health centers damaged, and 52 educational institutions affected. The succession of events led the Guatemalan center to express its solidarity with the three countries.