A magnitude 5.4 earthquake shook Panama’s Chiriquí province on Friday night, September 11, triggering emergency protocols and building inspections across western Panama without producing any confirmed injuries or structural failures. The Chiriqui earthquake struck at approximately 8:56 p.m. local time with its epicenter in the Rodolfo Aguilar Delgado township of Barú district, according to the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc).
Officials said the tremor was perceptible in David, Bugaba, Boquete, Tierras Altas, Gualaca, Progreso, Alanje, Puerto Armuelles, and parts of Bocas del Toro province. Electricity and communications networks remained operational, and no damage was reported to roads or bridges.
Emergency Inspections Follow the Chiriqui Earthquake
Sinaproc activated its seismic response protocols immediately after the quake and coordinated preventive monitoring across multiple districts. Firefighters and civil protection personnel inspected the Rafael Hernández Regional Hospital, the José Domingo de Obaldía Hospital, and the Minsa-Capsi facility in Volcán.
Teams also checked installations operated by the National Police, the National Border Service (Senafront), and the National Aeronaval Service (Senan). No abnormalities were found at any of the inspected sites, Sinaproc confirmed in its situation report.
In Bocas del Toro, where a separate magnitude 4.0 tremor was recorded at 9:18 p.m., the Fire Department carried out its own verification rounds. Personnel from the regional emergency units DOEXBURES, Samer, and Dinasepi visited hospital facilities and high-traffic locations to rule out earthquake-damage.
Seismic Swarm Along the Panama-Costa Rica Border
The Institute of Geosciences at the University of Panama documented at least four tremors between 8:56 p.m. and 9:20 p.m. Friday, all clustered along the Panama-Costa Rica border region. The strongest was the 5.4 magnitude Chiriqui earthquake, followed by a 4.6 magnitude offshore event at 9:20 p.m. located 127 kilometers west of Río Sereno at a depth of 10 kilometers.
A magnitude 4.0 quake struck at 9:18 p.m. in the border zone, 39 kilometers west of Changuinola, at a shallow depth of just 5 kilometers. The first tremor of the sequence, a 3.1 magnitude event, was recorded at 8:56 p.m. in Costa Rica, 51 kilometers west of Río Sereno, at a depth of 18 kilometers.
Saturday Tremors Continue Across the Region
Seismic activity persisted into Saturday morning and midday, according to Institute of Geosciences data. At 3:09 a.m., a 3.1 magnitude quake was detected 36 kilometers east of David at a depth of 10 kilometers. Ten minutes later, a 3.4 magnitude tremor occurred 12 kilometers east of Puerto Armuelles, matching the location of a Friday night event.
A 4.2 magnitude offshore earthquake followed at 4:59 a.m., positioned 129 kilometers west of Río Sereno. Additional tremors of 2.9 magnitude at 5:15 a.m. near Progreso and 3.9 magnitude at 9:07 a.m. west of Coiba rounded out the ongoing sequence. No additional damage assessments were reported from these later events.
Official Safety Guidance for Residents
Sinaproc and the Institute of Geosciences urged residents to remain calm and take basic precautions during seismic events. People should move away from windows, avoid objects that could fall, and steer clear of structures showing cracks or damage. Elevators should not be used during or immediately after a quake.
Authorities also advised the public to stay alert for aftershocks and to rely exclusively on official information sources, particularly the University of Panama’s Institute of Geosciences, to avoid misinformation circulating on social media. Monitoring of the affected areas remains active as officials continue evaluating the situation.