A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck southern Panama on Friday, shaking buildings in the capital, prompting evacuations and triggering tsunami alerts for parts of the Pacific coast of Central and South America.

The earthquake struck near the rural community of Pitaloza Arriba in Herrera province at a depth of about 10 kilometers (6 miles), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The agency initially estimated the magnitude at 8.0 before revising it to 7.6 and subsequently 7.7.

Residents in Panama City felt the tremors, with people leaving buildings and gathering outside as authorities assessed the damage. The shaking was also reported in neighboring Costa Rica and Colombia.

Local media reported damage to buildings in several areas, particularly in the central provinces of Herrera, Veraguas, Los Santos and Coclé. Footage broadcast by local outlets showed a Catholic cathedral collapsing and part of a hotel facade falling onto a vehicle in the city of Penonomé. No immediate reports of casualties were available in the initial assessments.

The earthquake prompted tsunami warnings for parts of the Pacific coast, including Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Guatemala, with other regional alerts also reported. The US tsunami warning system said hazardous waves were possible in affected coastal areas, prompting authorities to monitor conditions and urge residents to follow official instructions.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino called for calm, warning against spreading panic as emergency teams worked to assess the impact. Civil protection officials said inspections were continuing in areas near the epicenter, where further damage could emerge as assessments progressed.

The Panama Canal Authority said canal operations remained normal despite the earthquake, according to Reuters. Authorities continued to monitor infrastructure and possible aftershocks following the powerful tremor.

Panama lies in the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, a vast zone of fault lines and volcanic activity where many of the world's strongest earthquakes occur. The full extent of the damage and any potential casualties remained unclear as emergency assessments continued. (ILKHA)