Magnitude 7.6 earthquake strikes Panama, tsunami threat issued for 10 countries

The US Tsunami Warning System warned that hazardous tsunami waves could reach parts of the coasts of Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico within three hours of the quake.Earthquake. (representational photo)A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Panama’s southern coast on Friday at a depth of 10 km, prompting tsunami warnings across parts of the Pacific coast of Central and South America. There were no immediate reports of damage, and the Panama Canal Authority said the waterway was operating normally.Television footage from Panama showed people evacuating buildings following the tremors.The earthquake’s epicentre was near La Pitaloza, a rural community in a sparsely populated area in southern Panama, close to the country’s Pacific coastline.The US Tsunami Warning System warned that hazardous tsunami waves could reach parts of the coasts of Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico within three hours of the quake. The system also issued a tsunami threat for Hawaii.The tremors were felt in Panama City and San Jose, the capital of neighbouring Costa Rica, according to Reuters witnesses. - EndsWith inputs from Reuters