Man risks life to save liquor bottles during earthquake:7.6-magnitude quake hits Panama; over 100 aftershocks recorded so far

During a 7.6-magnitude earthquake in Panama, a man was seen saving bottles of alcohol without worrying about his own safety. The shop’s goods began shaking with the tremors, but he remained focused on keeping the bottles from falling. The ground continued to shake more than 100 times after the earthquake. Buildings were damaged, while people were seen running out of shopping centres and offices to save their lives. 3 pictures related to the earthquake in Panama Many people were seen running to save their lives. USGS initially reported the magnitude as 8.0 According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake struck offshore near Panama’s southern coast. Its epicentre was around 200 kilometres south-west of the capital, Panama City. The earthquake occurred at a depth of around 10 kilometres. USGS initially reported its magnitude as 8.0, but later revised it down to 7.6. President Raúl Mulino said no deaths had been confirmed by Friday evening. However, he said that damage assessment was under way. Church bell tower collapses, cracks appear in roads According to Panama’s civil protection agency, damage was reported in several provinces, including Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos. A church bell tower collapsed in the city of Penonomé, and several buildings were damaged. Cracks were also reported on roads in Veraguas. Several people were injured, according to Civil Protection Service official Omar Smith. One of them was injured after being struck by debris in Penonomé. Cars and trees were seen shaking during the earthquake in Penonomé. Tsunami alert issued, later lifted A tsunami alert was issued for several coastal areas of Central and South America after the earthquake. Warnings of a possible threat were issued for coastal areas of Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Peru, Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Colombia and Ecuador. The US embassy in Panama warned people that tremors following the earthquake could cause further damage. People in coastal areas were also advised to beware of strong sea currents and suddenly rising waves. According to the Associated Press (AP), the tsunami warning was later lifted for the coasts of Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Guatemala. The alerts issued for El Salvador and Chile’s Easter Island were also lifted. Néstor Luque of the University of Panama said waves 1 to 3 metres high were expected to rise near Isla Cañas and the southern coast of Los Santos. There were also reports that seawater had reached some homes in Isla Cañas. Airport remained closed for several hours; work continued on the Panama Canal Two metro lines in the capital were closed for inspections after the earthquake. Schools were also given a holiday. Tocumen International Airport remained closed for several hours. Flights resumed at the airport after Friday afternoon. The earthquake did not affect the movement of ships through the Panama Canal. Operations at the canal continued as normal. However, teams were deployed to check whether the earthquake had caused any damage. Power supply was also disrupted in six provinces because of the earthquake. 43,000 people live in areas at risk of severe tremors According to USGS estimates, around 43,000 people in Panama live in areas where severe or stronger earthquake shaking could be felt. The agency also estimated that the potential economic damage from the earthquake could amount to between 1% and 10% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). This is an initial assessment; the actual damage has not been confirmed.