‘It was a terrible thing’: Panama declares state of emergency as quake aftershocks rattle communities

The Guardian reports that more than 100 aftershocks as high as magnitude-5.8 recorded after two quakes toppled buildings and prompted evacuations Panama’s government has declared a state of emergency on Saturday as the aftershocks of two powerful earthquakes that roiled the country shook communities for hours.

Officials did not attribute any deaths to Friday’s 7.7- and 6.6-magnitude earthquakes, but reported damages in all 10 of Panama’s provinces and two Indigenous territories.

This world story centres on the United Kingdom. Names and organisations mentioned in the coverage include Panama and Indigenous.

Why it matters

International developments of this kind are often followed closely by governments, aid organisations and global markets.

Key details

Location

United Kingdom · Europe

Reported by

The Guardian

First reported

11 Oct 2026, 12:26 IST

Key names

Panama, Indigenous

Section

World

Sources

This is an independent summary. Read the full, original reporting from the publisher:

• The Guardian‘It was a terrible thing’: Panama declares state of emergency as quake aftershocks rattle communities 11 Oct, 12:26

Read the full story at The Guardian ↗

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