Powerful quake, aftershocks rattle Panama as authorities mobilize response

A damaged building is pictured following an earthquake in Sona, Veraguas Province, Panama, Oct. 9, 2026. A major earthquake struck Panama on Friday. (Xinhua) PANAMA CITY, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- A powerful earthquake and a series of strong aftershocks rattled Panama on Friday, sending residents into the streets, disrupting water supplies and briefly halting flights as the government mobilized emergency personnel and resources. The University of Panama's Institute of Geosciences measured the initial q