Panama City [Panama], March 22 : An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 on Richter Scale jolted Panama late on Friday, a statement from the National Center for Seismology said.
As per the statement, the earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10km, making it susceptible to aftershocks.
"EQ of M: 6.1, On: 21/03/2025 20:20:50 IST, Lat: 7.17 N, Long: 82.20 W, Depth: 10 Km, Location: South of Panama," the NCS said in a post on X.
{{{{twitter_post_id####}}}}EQ of M: 6.1, On: 21/03/2025 20:20:50 IST, Lat: 7.17 N, Long: 82.20 W, Depth: 10 Km, Location: South of Panama.
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— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) March 21, 2025
Shallow earthquakes like this one are more dangerous than deeper ones due to their greater energy release closer to the Earth's surface, causing stronger ground shaking and increased damage to structures and casualties, compared to deeper earthquakes, which lose energy as they travel to the surface.
As per Global Earth Model, Panama is an independent country located in the sourthen part of Central America. The construction of the interoceanic canal has made it a commercial hub in the region. Panama City, the most populated urban center, is characterized by tall buldings mixing residential and commercial occupancies. Only a small portion of the population resides in zones of high seismic hazard.
The Pedro Miguel Fault is a seismic fault that runs beneath the Panama Canal and near Panama City, home to approximately 1.2 million of Panama's approximately 3.3 million inhabitants.
Both faults are active, cause earthquakes every 600 to 900 years, and could cause ground slippage of up to 9.8 feet (3.0 m). An earthquake in 1882 caused a regional tsunami. A team of seismologists led by Tom Rockwell of San Diego State University found evidence suggesting both faults slipped simultaneously around 700 CE.
The Pedro Miguel and the Limon Fault system are a concern for geologists, as a strong earthquake centered on either could damage the canal, drain the lake that supplies water for the operation of its locks, Lago Gatun, and cause severe damage in the capital.
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