President José Raúl Mulino said Saturday that Panama earthquake recovery efforts are moving quickly, with Metro Bus and Metro lines 1 and 2 expected to resume service by Monday, October 12. The announcement came during his tour of the Azuero region, one of the areas hardest hit by the 7.5 magnitude tremor that struck Friday.
Mulino declared the country will not stop. “That hasn’t crossed anyone’s mind,” he said during remarks broadcast on Sertv. The public transit systems normally move about one million people daily across Panama and West Panama provinces.
Panama Earthquake Emergency Resources Approved
An extraordinary Cabinet Council session on Saturday approved funding to assist people affected by the earthquake. Mulino said health services for the injured and road infrastructure repairs are the immediate priorities. The Panama Canal remains fully operational and continues serving shipping companies without interruption.
The president emphasized that emergency resources are already being deployed to affected zones. Local authorities have focused on restoring connectivity in rural communities where road damage isolated residents following the seismic event.
Regional Leaders Offer Support After Panama Earthquake
Mulino confirmed he spoke Saturday with Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, who offered assistance to Panamanian citizens. The president attributed the wave of regional solidarity to his two years of diplomatic work and personal relationships with other heads of state.
“Panama is not going to stop, that hasn’t crossed anyone’s mind” [Translated from Spanish]
Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, Israel, Central American governments, and the European Community have all extended support, according to Mulino. The coordinated regional response reflects established disaster assistance protocols among neighboring nations.
Transit Restoration and Public Safety Measures
The security ministry has urged residents to remain calm while staying alert to family members who may need assistance. Panic, structural damage, and evacuations were reported across the country’s interior provinces following the earthquake.
Mulino’s Monday deadline for transit restoration signals the government’s push to return normalcy to the capital region. Engineering teams are inspecting metro infrastructure for seismic damage before service resumes. The president’s tour of Azuero included direct assessments of damage in communities where traditional construction methods left buildings vulnerable to the strong shaking.