Powerful Earthquake Strikes Panama: Expatriates Describe Chaos and Heavy Damage

A powerful earthquake struck Panama on Friday, leaving severe damage, cutting off power and communications in coastal areas, and triggering panic among residents and tourists. Israeli expatriate Nurit Goren Elephant, who lives on an ecological farm in the Central American country, described the harrowing ordeal to international media.

The Impact and Aftershocks

"The shaking was extremely intense," Goren Elephant recounted. "The earth didn't stop trembling for 13 hours. It started as a magnitude 8 earthquake, and we felt like a ship tossing on massive waves." She added that aftershocks continued every few minutes, making it difficult to walk or stand straight as furniture and structures swayed violently.

"We are still shaking, and in the meantime, there are aftershocks every few minutes. A major quake hasn't happened for a few hours. It was madness. People fell to the floor," she said.

Damage and Humanitarian Response

The disaster severely affected coastal communities near the epicenter, located 14 kilometers southwest of Petituze in southern Panama. Many homes belonging to Israeli families living near the coast were completely destroyed, leaving the areas without electricity, water, or internet access.

• Goren Elephant's ecological farm suffered heavy damage, though its open-air layout prevented total structural collapse.

• The family took in four displaced families, providing shelter despite lacking running water.

• The Jewish community in Panama City has established a humanitarian hotline to assist affected residents and stranded travelers.

Local authorities reported at least 27 injuries following the primary tremor and a subsequent 6.6-magnitude aftershock. Initial tsunami warnings issued for Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala were later lifted by U.S. monitors.