DOMINANT ANGLE
Warsaw assesses the Panamanian earthquake based on the figures and the tsunami alert: revised magnitude from 8.0 to 7.7, nine countries threatened, then alert lifted, with little human toll at this stage.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
The USGS downgraded the magnitude from 8.0 to 7.7, while the Earth Sciences Institute of the University of Panama estimates it at 7.2 (Gazeta Prawna).
- 02
The American system alerted nine countries, including Mexico and Colombia, before lifting the threat less than two hours later (RMF24).
- 03
According to TVN, a hotel collapsed in Penonomé; Tocumen airport suspended its activities and the canal is operating normally (RMF24).
ANALYSIS
Warsaw, October 10, 2026. Polish media are treating the earthquake of Friday, October 9, as an event first measured, then confirmed. Rzeczpospolita and RMF24 report that it struck at 12:56 local time (19:56 in Poland), with a magnitude that the USGS initially gave as 8.0 before revising it to 7.7. Gazeta Prawna and Rzeczpospolita add that the Earth Sciences Institute of the University of Panama estimates it at 7.2. The locations vary from one title to another: 12 km or 14.5 km southwest of Pitaloza Arriba, at a depth of 12.6 km, 33 km, or 10 km, depending on the source.
The tsunami alert occupies a central place, even in the headlines. Gazeta Prawna lists the coasts targeted by the American system: Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico, with waves expected "within three hours". RMF24 also mentions Hawaii and specifies that the threat was ruled out "less than two hours later". Rzeczpospolita notes that Chile and El Salvador had issued their own warnings, also lifted.
On the ground, the first accounts come from Panamanian television TVN, cited by several titles: a hotel collapsed in Penonomé, in the center of the country, a church and the seat of local authorities are damaged. Evacuation protocols for buildings have been activated, including in the capital, and the Ministry of Education has canceled afternoon classes. Rzeczpospolita reports more than 45 aftershocks, the strongest at 6.4.
The logistical dimension is noted without comment: Tocumen International Airport has suspended its activities to assess safety, flights have been diverted, including to Colombia, and the administration of the Panama Canal indicates that this "key route for maritime trade" is functioning normally.
Caution dominates the assessment: RMF24, Gazeta Prawna, and Rzeczpospolita write that no deaths, injuries, or people trapped under the rubble have been reported at this stage, and Rzeczpospolita emphasizes that the extent of the destruction has not been confirmed. The Polish account thus remains factual, drawn from agencies and local media, without its own reporting on the ground or a quote from President Mulino.
SOURCES (4)
- RMF24MEDIUM
- Gazeta PrawnaMEDIUM
- Dziennik.plMEDIUM
