Strong aftershocks follow powerful earthquake in Panama

A series of aftershocks struck Panama on October 9. The University of Panama put the main earthquake's magnitude at 7.2, while USGS reported 7.7.

According to the university's Institute of Geosciences, as cited by RIA Novosti, the main earthquake struck at 12:56 p.m. local time. The institute placed its depth at four kilometres and its epicentre 39 kilometres northwest of Tonosi.

At 1:22 p.m., the institute recorded a magnitude 6.1 event at a depth of ten kilometres, 19 kilometres northeast of Tonosi. Another tremor, of magnitude 6.0, followed at 1:30 p.m. at the same depth, in waters 127 kilometres south of the town.

Earlier, at 1:15 p.m., a magnitude 3.4 tremor was recorded 46 kilometres west of Tonosi at a depth of 14 kilometres. The Panamanian institute and USGS reported different estimates for the main earthquake.