Electricity supply restored in several Veraguas and Azuero communities marks a key recovery milestone after Friday’s magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Panama. José Ramón Icaza, minister of Canal Affairs and secretary of Goals, confirmed service returned to Mariato, Torio, Quebro, Cañas, and Tonosí on Monday.
The restoration effort continues in Guánico, Búcaro, and Cambutal, where crews remain deployed. Icaza said work will persist until every affected area has power again.
Damage Assessment Across Veraguas and Azuero
Preliminary evaluations show approximately 1,250 homes sustained damage, with more than 600 schools reporting some degree of structural impact. Health infrastructure also suffered, as 21 medical centers were identified with damage alongside roughly 16 bridges.
Icaza cautioned that these figures reflect initial inspections and will likely rise as assessment teams reach more remote communities. The numbers emerged from government surveys conducted in the days following the October 9 seismic event.
Informamos a nuestros clientes que nuestras brigadas ejecutan labores de reparación en Villa Serena, La Mata, Santiago, Veraguas. Agradecemos la comprensión de nuestros usuarios mientras completamos los trabajos. @tvnnoticias @TReporta @criticaenlinea @MiDiarioPanama @DiaaDiaPa @traficocpanama @LaVozDeVeraguas
— Naturgy Panamá (@NaturgyPa) October 10, 2026
Government Response and Housing Reconstruction Plans
The government aims to begin debris removal and material transport this week, prioritizing construction of first replacement homes for families who lost their houses entirely. The Ministry of Housing is compiling data to determine which structures need repairs versus complete reconstruction.
Icaza joined President José Raúl Mulino on tours through Guararé, Tonosí, Isla Cañas, Cambutal, Búcaro, and Mariato. Additional visits covered Santiago, Chitré, and Ocú to coordinate the federal response.
Electricity Supply Restored as Recovery Operations Expand
The earthquake disrupted service across Panama’s southwestern coastal corridor, affecting both residential areas and critical facilities. Repair crews prioritized main distribution lines before moving to smaller feeder routes serving isolated villages.
With electricity supply restored to five communities, attention now shifts to the remaining outages in Guánico, Búcaro, and Cambutal. Utility teams are working through damaged infrastructure to reconnect those areas.
Officials have not provided a timeline for full restoration, but Icaza emphasized that work continues without interruption. The government’s broader recovery effort spans housing, education, health services, and transportation networks damaged by one of the strongest earthquakes recorded in Panama’s recent history.