# M7.7 Earthquake: 12 km WSW of Pitaloza Arriba, Panama

Updated 09:05 UTC, 29 Oct 2026. Canonical: https://monitorworld.app/earthquake/2026-10-09-m7-7-pitaloza-arriba-panama

A **magnitude 7.7** earthquake struck 12 km WSW of Pitaloza Arriba, Panama at 17:56 UTC on 9 Oct 2026, at a depth of 13 km, reported by USGS. USGS PAGER issued an orange alert: significant damage and deaths are likely. USGS did not set a tsunami flag for this quake. So far 117 aftershocks of M2.5+ have been recorded within 216 km, the largest a M6.6.

## Key numbers

- Magnitude (USGS): **M7.7** (mww)
- Depth: **13 km** (shallow)
- USGS PAGER impact alert: **ORANGE** (estimated impact)
- Aftershocks M2.5+ so far: **117** (within 216 km)

## Nearest places

- [13 KM] Pitaloza Arriba, Herrera, Panama (13 km from the epicentre, quake was WSW of here, population 188)
- [56 KM] Chitré, Herrera, Panama (56 km from the epicentre, quake was SW of here, population 8,969)
- [57 KM] San Juan Bautista, Herrera, Panama (57 km from the epicentre, quake was SW of here, population 11,798)
- [57 KM] Monagrillo, Herrera, Panama (57 km from the epicentre, quake was SW of here, population 10,821)
- [61 KM] Santiago de Veraguas, Veraguas, Panama (61 km from the epicentre, quake was SSE of here, population 45,355)
- [208 KM] Panama City, Panama (208 km from the epicentre, quake was SW of here, population 408,000)
- [216 KM] San Miguelito, Panama (216 km from the epicentre, quake was SW of here, population 322,000)
- [218 KM] Juan Diaz, Panama (218 km from the epicentre, quake was SW of here, population 101,000)
- [447 KM] San Jose, Costa Rica (447 km from the epicentre, quake was SE of here, population 335,000)

## Strongest aftershocks so far

- [HIGH] [M6.6 · 12 km W of Río Grande, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u19w) (2026-10-09 20:25 UTC, 24 km deep, USGS)
- [HIGH] [M6.1 · 15 km W of Río Grande, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u1wn) (2026-10-12 23:20 UTC, 11 km deep, USGS)
- [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] [M5.8 · 1 km S of El Cacao, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u18x) (2026-10-09 18:37 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [MED] [M5.5 · 3 km SW of Bajo Corral, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u18t) (2026-10-09 18:22 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [MED] [M5.4 · 47 km SSW of Puerto Vidal, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u2ud) (2026-10-09 18:02 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] [M5.2 · 16 km NE of Pedasí, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u2uc) (2026-10-09 18:01 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [MED] [M5.2 · 10 km SE of Río Grande, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u19h) (2026-10-09 19:48 UTC, 10 km deep, USGS)
- [MED] [M5.1 · 8 km NNE of Quebro, Panama](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u2us) (2026-10-09 18:06 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.

The USGS moment tensor shows strike-slip faulting: the two sides of the fault slid sideways past each other.

At 13 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 an orange alert: significant damage and deaths are likely (fatality alert: yellow, economic loss alert: orange). PAGER is an early estimate and can change as reports come in.

The USGS ShakeMap estimates the strongest shaking at intensity VIII on the Modified Mercalli scale (severe).

2,005 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 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| San Jose | 1,543,000 | III (weak) |
| Panama City | 1,500,189 | V (moderate) |
| San Miguelito | 315,019 | V (moderate) |
| Colon | 204,000 | V (moderate) |
| David | 144,858 | V (moderate) |
| Tocumen | 74,952 | IV (light) |
| La Chorrera | 68,896 | V (moderate) |
| Balboa Heights | 62,882 | V (moderate) |

### Aftershocks

This page counts quakes of M2.5 or more within 216 km after the main shock, from the USGS catalog (last checked 09:05 UTC, 29 Oct 2026): 117 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 148 quakes of M5 or more within 250 km of this epicentre, about 3.0 a year. No quake of M7.7 or larger is in the USGS catalog for this circle since 1900, so this was the largest recorded here.

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

| Magnitude | Place (USGS) | Date | Depth |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 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 |
| M7.2 | 59 km SSE of Burica, Panama | 1962-07-26 | 25 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 | 146 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama | 1982-08-19 | 10 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 |

### Official information

- [EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre)](https://www.emsc-csem.org/)
- [USGS event page for this quake](https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000u18k) (ShakeMap, PAGER, felt reports)
- [tsunami.gov](https://www.tsunami.gov/) for US tsunami bulletins

### Data status

USGS review status: reviewed. Magnitude type: mww. USGS last updated this event on 28 Oct 2026 at 18:46 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 Pitaloza Arriba, Panama?

USGS measured it at magnitude 7.7 (mww), 13 km deep. The strongest estimated shaking was intensity VIII (severe). Quakes of M7 or more are classed as major.

### 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. 2,005 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 117 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/us6000u18k): 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

- [M6.0 La Tronosa, Panama](https://monitorworld.app/earthquake/2026-10-10-m6-0-la-tronosa-panama): 10 Oct 2026, 21 km from this quake.
- [M5.8 El Cacao, Panama](https://monitorworld.app/earthquake/2026-10-09-m5-8-el-cacao-panama): 9 Oct 2026, 44 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.