On Friday, October 9, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 occurred near the southern coast of Panama. About two and a half hours later, another strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 was recorded, CBS News reports. Buildings shook in the capital, and people went out into the streets in panic. Authorities reported damage to buildings and roads, as well as casualties. According to the US Geological Service, the epicenter of the first tremor was located 11 km southwest of the Pitalosa-Arriba settlement, and the focus was at a depth of 11 km. The epicenter of the second earthquake was located 13 km west of the city of Rio Grande on the Pacific coast (at a depth of 10 km). Strong shocks were followed by many aftershocks. Seismologists from the University of Panama recorded more than 45 repeated tremors, some of which reached magnitudes of 5.8, 5.5 and 5.2. The president of Panama, Jose Raul Mulino, said that there were no casualties as of Friday evening, but warned that the picture may change as the information is verified. The Civil Defense Service reported several wounded. In the city of Penonome, 150 km from the capital, one person was injured by the debris of the collapsed building. According to emergency services, the destruction is mainly concentrated in the states of Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos. There are partially collapsed structures in Penonome, and cracks have appeared on the walls of the cathedral in the main square. The building of the governor's office and the "Dos Continentes" hotel were also damaged. According to local mass media, the San Athanasio Church, recognized as a national historical monument in 1938, collapsed in Los Santos. Some roads in Veraguas were also seriously damaged. The tremors were also quite significant in the capital Panama, where residents left the buildings and gathered in the streets. After the first shock, "Tokumen" international airport temporarily stopped working, but resumed flights in the second half of the day. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned of a possible tsunami, but later announced that the danger had passed. The Panama Canal Authority reported that shipping is proceeding normally. Specialists are now checking the condition of the infrastructure, giving priority to the safety of employees and ships. President Mulino called on the residents to remain calm and not to panic. The United States, for its part, has announced that it is closely monitoring the situation and checking the safety of its citizens in Panama. Panama is located in the seismically active zone of the Pacific "ring of fire", where several tectonic plates intersect. The last strong earthquake that caused great destruction in the country happened in 1991. In neighboring Costa Rica, 23 people were killed and 559 were injured in various degrees as a result of earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.4.