Magnitude 6.6 earthquake rocks Panama-Colombia border region
The US Geological Survey reports that a magnitude 6.6 earthquake with a magnitude 4.9 aftershock struck the Darien Gulf near the Panama-Colombia border on Wednesday night.
Due to the lack of population around the earthquake site, there were no reports of injuries or damage.
According to the USGS, the epicenter was located about 41 kilometers (25 mi) northeast of Puerto Obaldia, Panama, and both earthquakes had a depth of 10 km (6.21 mi).
The earthquake was felt in the provinces of Darién, Panama, Guna Yala and western Panama, according to information posted on Twitter by Panama’s Civil Defense Organization.
“No reports of impact,” announced the government.
Later, Panama’s National Emergency Operations Center ruled out the possibility of a tsunami.
The tremors were felt by residents of the Colombian cities of Cali and Medellin, as well as some areas of Panama’s capital city.
Scattered thickets of forest and the Darien Gap, a mainland route for migrants moving north from South America, lie in the earthquake-prone region. In recent years, hundreds of thousands of migrants have arrived.