# M5.8 Earthquake: 1 km S of El Cacao, Panama

Updated 09:05 UTC, 29 Oct 2026. Canonical: https://monitorworld.app/earthquake/2026-10-09-m5-8-el-cacao-panama

A **magnitude 5.8** earthquake struck 1 km S of El Cacao, Panama at 18:37 UTC on 9 Oct 2026, at a depth of 10 km, reported by USGS. USGS PAGER issued a yellow alert: some damage and deaths are possible. USGS did not set a tsunami flag for this quake. So far 45 aftershocks of M2.5+ have been recorded within 50 km, the largest a M6.0. A larger M6.0 quake followed on 10 Oct 2026, so this one was a foreshock.

## Key numbers

- Magnitude (USGS): **M5.8** (mb)
- Depth: **10 km** (shallow)
- USGS PAGER impact alert: **YELLOW** (estimated impact)
- Aftershocks M2.5+ so far: **45** (within 50 km)

## Nearest places

- [1 KM] El Cacao, Los Santos, Panama (1 km from the epicentre, quake was SSE of here, population 261)
- [38 KM] Las Tablas, Los Santos, Panama (38 km from the epicentre, quake was SSW of here, population 8,939)
- [58 KM] San Juan Bautista, Herrera, Panama (58 km from the epicentre, quake was S of here, population 11,798)
- [60 KM] Monagrillo, Herrera, Panama (60 km from the epicentre, quake was S of here, population 10,821)
- [92 KM] Pocrí, Coclé, Panama (92 km from the epicentre, quake was S of here, population 12,304)
- [198 KM] Panama City, Panama (198 km from the epicentre, quake was SSW of here, population 408,000)
- [206 KM] San Miguelito, Panama (206 km from the epicentre, quake was SSW of here, population 322,000)
- [207 KM] Juan Diaz, Panama (207 km from the epicentre, quake was SSW of here, population 101,000)
- [457 KM] Quibdo, Colombia (457 km from the epicentre, quake was WNW of here, population 129,000)

## Strongest aftershocks so far

- [HIGH] [M6.0 · 7 km N of La Tronosa, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u1cf) (2026-10-10 04:14 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [MED] [M5.4 · 9 km SSE of Los Asientos, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u1ay) (2026-10-09 23:12 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [MED] [M5.0 · 18 km S of Los Asientos, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u194) (2026-10-09 18:50 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [MED] [M5.0 · 3 km NW of Flores, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u1hw) (2026-10-11 01:50 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [MED] [M5.0 · 9 km NW of Tonosí, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u19t) (2026-10-09 20:21 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [MED] [M5.0 · 8 km ESE of La Tronosa, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u1ax) (2026-10-09 23:10 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [MED] [M5.0 · 5 km WSW of Flores, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u1bu) (2026-10-10 02:26 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [LOW] [M4.9 · 10 km SSW of Cañas, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u1d2) (2026-10-10 06:18 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [LOW] [M4.8 · 2 km N of Los Asientos, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u19i) (2026-10-09 19:45 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [LOW] [M4.8 · 5 km SW of Cañas, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u1b5) (2026-10-10 00:03 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)

## Key context

### Tectonic setting

**Panama block.** Panama sits on a small block of crust squeezed between the Caribbean, Cocos and Nazca plates and South America. The Panama Fracture Zone to the south and thrust belts on both sides of the isthmus carry most of the motion, so strong quakes are less frequent than in Costa Rica or Colombia but do occur.

At 10 km it was a very shallow quake: shallow quakes shake the ground above them hardest, so local damage depends on how close towns are.

### Shaking and impact

USGS PAGER estimates the impact from the shaking and the number of people exposed. For this quake it issued a yellow alert: some damage and deaths are possible (fatality alert: green, economic loss alert: yellow). PAGER is an early estimate and can change as reports come in.

The USGS ShakeMap estimates the strongest shaking at intensity VII on the Modified Mercalli scale (very strong).

12 people sent a "Did You Feel It?" report to USGS, with the strongest reported intensity VIII (severe).

Estimated shaking in nearby towns, from USGS PAGER.

| Town | Population | Estimated intensity |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Aguadulce | 51,668 | IV (light) |
| Chitre | 46,191 | IV (light) |
| Santiago | 45,955 | IV (light) |
| Las Tablas | 11,358 | V (moderate) |
| Guarare | 9,255 | V (moderate) |
| Ocu | 7,006 | IV (light) |
| Nata | 6,003 | IV (light) |
| Parita | 3,723 | IV (light) |

### Aftershocks

This page counts quakes of M2.5 or more within 50 km after the main shock, from the USGS catalog (last checked 09:05 UTC, 29 Oct 2026): 45 aftershocks so far.

Aftershocks are normal after a quake of this size. They usually become less frequent over days and weeks, but a strong aftershock can still happen, and in a few sequences a later quake is larger. No one can predict their exact time or size; follow the official agency for your area.

### Earthquake history within 250 km

Since 1976, USGS lists 96 quakes of M5 or more within 250 km of this epicentre, about 1.9 a year. Since 1900 the same circle had 70 quakes of M5.8 or larger.

Largest earlier quakes within 250 km, USGS catalog since 1900 (M6+).

| Magnitude | Place (USGS) | Date | Depth |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| M7.7 | 12 km WSW of Pitaloza Arriba, Panama | 2026-10-09 | 13 km |
| M7.5 | 44 km ESE of Burica, Panama | 1934-07-18 | 30 km |
| M7.2 | 45 km SW of Quebrada de Piedra, Panama | 1904-01-20 | 10 km |
| M7.0 | 56 km SSE of Cambutal, Panama | 1943-05-02 | 20 km |
| M6.8 | south of Panama | 1934-07-18 | 25 km |
| M6.8 | 78 km S of Boca Chica, Panama | 1962-09-18 | 30 km |
| M6.8 | 20 km SSE of Guarumal, Panama | 1934-07-21 | 25 km |
| M6.7 | 39 km WSW of Jaqué, Panama | 1976-07-11 | 22 km |

### Official information

- [EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre)](https://www.emsc-csem.org/)
- [USGS event page for this quake](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u18x) (ShakeMap, PAGER, felt reports)
- [tsunami.gov](https://www.tsunami.gov/) for US tsunami bulletins

### Data status

USGS review status: reviewed. Magnitude type: mb. USGS last updated this event on 13 Oct 2026 at 02:34 UTC. Magnitude, depth and location can still be revised; this page keeps the same address if they change.

## FAQ

### How strong was the earthquake near El Cacao, Panama?

USGS measured it at magnitude 5.8 (mb), 10 km deep. The strongest estimated shaking was intensity VII (very strong). Quakes of M5 to 5.9 are classed as moderate.

### Was there a tsunami?

USGS did not set a tsunami flag for this quake. If you are on a coast and feel strong or long shaking, move to high ground anyway, and follow local officials.

### Was the earthquake felt?

Yes. 12 people reported it to USGS "Did You Feel It?", with reports up to intensity VIII.

### Will there be more aftershocks?

Aftershocks are likely to continue for days to weeks, becoming less frequent over time. So far 45 aftershocks of M2.5+ have been listed. Most sequences do not produce a larger quake, but some do. No one can predict the time or size of the next one; follow EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre).

### What should I do after a strong earthquake?

Expect aftershocks: Drop, Cover and Hold On when shaking starts again. Check for injuries and damage, stay out of damaged buildings, and use text messages instead of calls so emergency lines stay free. On a coast, move to high ground after strong shaking. Follow your local officials.

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## Sources

- [USGS event page](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u18x): magnitude, location, ShakeMap, PAGER and Did You Feel It? data for this event. Public domain. Credit: U.S. Geological Survey.
- [USGS ComCat (FDSN event web service)](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/fdsnws/event/1/): the USGS earthquake catalog, used for the 30-year counts, history and aftershocks. Public domain. Credit: U.S. Geological Survey.
- [USGS Geoserve](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/ws/geoserve/): nearest places to the epicentre.
- [GeoNames](https://www.geonames.org/): large-city coordinates, CC BY 4.0.

## Related

- [M5.5 Bajo Corral, Panama](https://monitorworld.app/earthquake/2026-10-09-m5-5-bajo-corral-panama): 9 Oct 2026, 21 km from this quake.
- [M6.0 La Tronosa, Panama](https://monitorworld.app/earthquake/2026-10-10-m6-0-la-tronosa-panama): 10 Oct 2026, 23 km from this quake.
- [Earthquakes today](https://monitorworld.app/live/earthquakes-today): Every M2.5+ quake of the past 24 hours.
- [Earthquakes by region](https://monitorworld.app/live/earthquakes): All regions and every M5.5+ quake page.
- [Tsunami warning today](https://monitorworld.app/live/tsunami-warning): Latest US tsunami bulletins.
- [Earthquake near me](https://monitorworld.app/live/earthquake-near-me): Sort recent quakes by distance from you.