A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake strikes southern Panama, collapsing buildings

A powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake has struck southern Panama, prompting evacuations from buildings. The quake centred near Pitaloza Arriba in the central province of Herrera, at a depth of around 12 kilometres.

Al Jazeera’s Alessandro Rampietti says authorities are still assessing the damage, especially in the central and southern provinces closer to the epicentre, which was in a mostly rural area. A few buildings have been confirmed collapsed in the provinces of Herrera and Los Santos. Images show a collapsed hotel and the bell tower of a 16th-century church in the city of Atalaya.

So far, no casualties have been confirmed by the authorities. Rescue teams are still moving towards affected locations.

Al Jazeera’s Alessandro Rampietti reports from Bogota.

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