Panamanian government declares state of emergency after earthquakes

O panamanian government declared today a state of emergency, after the secondary tremors of two strong earthquakes registered on Friday, which caused damage in all provinces and in two indigenous territories.

According to the Associated Press news agency, the Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac, announced the state of emergency during a press conference in Panama City, stating that damaged infrastructure includes housing, schools, health units, roads and hotels.

The earthquakes recorded in Panama on Friday, of magnitude 7.7 and 6.6 on the Richter scale, led to the collapse of buildings near the epicenter and the evacuation of various settlements throughout the country.

However, there were more than 100 replicas, some with magnitudes of 5.8, 5.5 and 5.2.

The first earthquake, also felt in neighboring Colombia, had an epicenter about ten kilometres from the community of Pitaloza Arriba, in the central province of Herrera, according to the United States Geological Service. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers.

According to the deputy director of the National Civil Protection System, Malitzie Rivera, in statements to journalists, there are 27 injuries, with injuries ranging from mild to moderate.

She also said that hundreds of houses were damaged, most of the damage being recorded in the central provinces of Veraguas, Herrera, Cocle and Los Santos.

Civil Protection accounted for about 420 homes and approximately the same number of damaged public schools, with at least seven hotels, 13 churches and nine bridges affected by earthquakes.

In the meantime, the European Commission has proved available today to help Panama overcome the effects of earthquakes if international aid is requested, expressing solidarity with those affected.

The possibility for Brussels to activate assistance mechanisms is thus open if the Panamanian authorities need international assistance.