The European Commission expressed solidarity with Panama after an earthquake of 7.6 magnitude and offered international support, if requested.
© REUTERS/Enea Lebrun
10/10/2026
by
Lusa
A European Commission said today to be available to help Panama overcome the effects of the magnitude 7.6 earthquake on Friday, if international aid is requested, and expressed solidarity with the affected.
“ We express our solidarity with the people of Panama and are ready to provide support if requested,” said the European Commissioner for Equality, Preparation and Management of Crisis, Hadja Lahbib, in a note quoted by the Spanish news agency, Efe.
The possibility for Brussels to activate assistance mechanisms is thus open if the Panamanian authorities need international assistance.
In the note, the European Commission also ensured that it is closely monitoring the situation in Panama, after an earthquake of 7.6 magnitude hit last night the south-central region of the country.
Lahbib also transmitted the support of the Community institutions to the Central American country and confirmed that Brussels is prepared to meet the needs that may arise as a result of the earthquake.
The earthquake recorded this Friday in Panama caused damage to at least 188 schools throughout the country, as well as housing, hospitals, bridges, roads and even cathedrals and various churches.
According to the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc), the most affected provinces are those of Veraguas, Coclé, Los Santos and Herrera, according to a report published by the National Emergency Operations Center and cited by the Spanish news agency, Efe.
The earthquake and its more than 47 replicas caused damage to essential infrastructure, such as the Chilibre drinking water treatment plant, according to the Panamanian Government in a statement.
“ There are road infrastructures that have been compromised, government buildings, private businesses. The Chilibre water treatment plant is currently operating at 20% of its capacity and currently there are no missing persons,” the government announced in the press release released on social networks.
In Panama City, there are slight damage to four residential buildings, shops and homes in Las Perlas, with hospitals and health centers being evacuated.
The President of the Republic, José Raúl Mulino, asked the Minister of Government, Dinoska Montalvo, and the security bodies to keep him continuously informed about the consequences of earthquakes.
“ No one is ever prepared for such events, so until tomorrow [Sunday] we will mobilize more resources. The disaster we are facing is serious, it is not national in scope, being more intense in some places than in others, but the most important thing here is to remain calm”, said the President to the media present on the spot.
A few hours after a strong magnitude 7.7 earthquake, a second magnitude 6.6 was also recorded in Panama, according to the United States Geological Service (USGS).
The first shock was recorded by the USGS with epicenter in the south-central region of the country, 10 km deep, and forced mass evacuations, causing material damage throughout the country.
The earthquake occurred at 12:56, local time (17:56 GMT) on Friday.