Residents near the epicenter of a 7.7-magnitude earthquake in southern Panama began cleanup efforts on October 10, one day after experiencing widespread damage but no reported deaths. The quake, centered about 60km from Herrera province, was followed by over 100 aftershocks; many residents slept outdoors due to ongoing seismic activity and fear of additional tremors. President Jose Raul Mulino declared a state of emergency allowing up to $100 million in aid, while the United States pledged support through military resources and personnel.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-11,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Traumatised Panamanians begin recovery from 7.7-magnitude earthquake
AI generated
CHITRE, Panama –
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Panamanians → traumatise → earthquake
Residents near the epicentre of a major earthquake in southern Panama began cleaning up on Oct 10, traumatised by the previous day’s strong shaking that left widespread damage but so far no reported deaths.
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that → begin → damage
“This is something we’ve never seen before.
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we → see → ?
We weren’t prepared for this kind of event,” said Aldulfo Quintero as he cleared debris from a store in Chitre, about 250km south-west of Panama City.
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he → prepare → City
The 41-year-old told AFP he has a “great fear” that a new earthquake could strike any moment.
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earthquake → tell → fear
After the initial 7.7-magnitude quake around midday on Oct 9, more than 100 aftershocks have been recorded, some as strong as magnitude 6.0.
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some → record → magnitude
Like many others in Chitre, the capital of hard-hit Herrera province, 28-year-old Yakshuri Castillo chose to sleep outdoors due to fears of another quake.
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Castillo → hit → quake
She told AFP she “went into shock” when the first quake struck.
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quake → tell → shock
In Macaracas, also located in Herrera province, 68-year-old retiree Javier Jimenez said he had to sleep at the town’s school.
“We can’t live like this,” he said, his home’s entrance covered with broken tiles from his roof.
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entrance → locate → roof
“Everyone is afraid because the earthquakes are constant, we don’t dare to return,” he added.
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he → dare → ?
Dozens of homes were damaged in the city, whose 66,000 residents were still without electricity on Oct 10.
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residents → damage → Oct
The epicentre of the initial quake was registered by the US Geological Survey (USGS) about 60km away, near the border of Herrera, Los Santos, and Veraguas provinces.
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epicentre → register → provinces
Earthquakes are rare in Panama and usually occur in western Chiriqui province, bordering Costa Rica.
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Earthquakes → occur → Rica
State of emergency
Strong shaking in Panama City, more than 200km from the epicentre, sent panicked people pouring into the streets from the capital’s numerous high-rise buildings.
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shaking → send → buildings
While no deaths have been reported from the quake, about 30 people have been treated for minor injuries.
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people → report → injuries
Authorities are still assessing the damage in remote areas.
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Authorities → assess → areas
Several communities have been cut off due to roadways damaged by the quake.
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communities → cut → quake
“The disaster we are facing is massive,” Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino said upon arriving in one of the affected areas.
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Mulino → face → areas
His government declared a state of emergency on Oct 10, a move that will speed up procedures to manage “up to US$100 million (S$128 million)” in humanitarian aid, according to Presidency Minister Juan Carlos Orillac.
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that → declare → Orillac
The United States, which counts Panama among the members of President Donald Trump’s new “Shield of the Americas” initiative, has pledged rapid support.
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which → count → support
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X on Oct 9 that he was “closely monitoring” the situation, with his office “rapidly mobilising resources and personnel to assist”.
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office → say → resources
The top US military commander in the region, Francis Donovan, has “directed immediate support to help the people of Panama, including on-the-ground support from rotary-wing aircraft...and the airlift of key personnel and supplies into the country,” US Southern Command said in a statement on Oct 10.
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Command → direct → Oct
The Panamanian quake is at least the fourth quake in 2026 in Latin America surpassing 7.0 in magnitude, after devastating back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela’s Guaira in June and a powerful earthquake in western Colombia in August.
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quake → surpass → August
The Aporia
