Patients at the Aquilino Tejeira Hospital in Penonomé were evacuated Friday evening as part of the broader Penonome earthquake response, after a magnitude 7.5 tremor struck Panama and continued aftershocks raised structural safety concerns across Coclé province.
The hospital building itself did not suffer serious damage, but administrators ordered the move to modular facilities set up on the grounds. The decision came as seismologists reported repeated aftershocks, including one measured at magnitude 6.1, keeping emergency protocols active well into the night.
Penonome Earthquake Response and Structural Damage Reports
Beyond the medical center, several landmark structures in Penonomé sustained visible damage. Part of the towers of the San Juan Bautista Cathedral collapsed, prompting the National Civil Protection System to cordon off the area. The Hotel Dos Continentes, a representative building dating back to 1970, also showed serious structural compromise.
The provincial governor’s office in Coclé was another building affected by the seismic activity. Residents remained outside their homes for hours, unwilling to return due to fears of additional aftershocks that continued to ripple across the region.
Religious Services Suspended Across Penonomé
Monseñor Edgardo Cedeño announced that no religious ceremonies would take place in Penonomé due to the emergency. In a video shared through the cathedral’s official Instagram account, he confirmed that the church structure had been severely compromised.
“The structure of the cathedral has been left very affected” [Translated from Spanish]
Local correspondents described residents crying as they observed the damage to emblematic buildings, while simultaneously expressing relief that no casualties had been reported in the province.
Community Response and Ongoing Aftershock Concerns
The Penonome earthquake response reflects a wider national mobilization. Panama’s security minister urged calm and asked families to stay attentive to relatives in affected areas. Emergency crews continued assessing buildings as aftershocks complicated stabilization efforts.
Officials have not yet released a full damage assessment for Coclé province. For now, the priority remains keeping patients safe in modular units and preventing access to unstable structures, particularly the cathedral and historic hotel in the city center.