Panama News Briefs

By Evelio Valdés for El Siglo - Six seismic movements have been registered. People living in Panama's Chiriquí province are worried because yesterday they felt the sixth tremor in less than a week. The most recent earthquake occurred at 9:29 am with an intensity of 4.8 on the Richter scale, located at a depth of 35 kilometers near Golfito, Costa Rica. Eduardo Camacho, of the Geo Sciences Institute of the University of Panama (UP), said this series of earthquakes will probably continue during the next few days in Chiriquí. He said these earthworks are normal for this time, and that do not have anything to do with the climate or high temperatures.

Sigue temblando en Chiriquí

Evelio Valdésevaldes@elsiglo.com

Se han registrado seis movimientos sísmicos

Los chiricanos siguen preocupados, porque ayer sintieron el sexto temblor de la semana. El mismo se registró a las 9:29 de la mañana, con una intensidad de 4.8 en la escala de Ritcher, y fue ubicado a 35 kilómetros de profundidad de Golfito, Costa Rica.

Eduardo Camacho, del Instituto de Geociencias de la Universidad de Panamá (UP), indicó que esta serie de sismos se seguirán registrando durante los próximos días en Chiriquí. Dijo que estos movimientos de tierra son normales en esta época, y que no tienen nada que ver con el clima y las altas temperaturas.

(CNN) -- An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 shook Panama Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The temblor struck at 5:23 p.m. (7:23 p.m. ET) and was centered 320 miles southwest of Panama City in the Gulf of Panama, the agency's Web site said. A journalist living in Panama City said she did not feel it. In any given year, some 100 "strong" earthquakes -- defined as any with a magnitude between 6.0 and 6.9 -- occur. (Note - They got the time wrong. This earthquake actually happened at 6:23 pm local time in Panama. Costa Rica is an hour earlier, and the USGS has been using Costa Rica time for all of the other earthquakes that happened on Wednesday.)

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Received today via email: "My 6 parrots (taking siesta inside my house), all at once, suddenly screamed, squawked, and flew into a panic, in a tornado-like whirlwind (scene reminiscent of one from 'the birds'). Seconds later the entire house shook side-to-side. I wasn't sure if it was me simply realing from the shock of the parrots madly flying about, if mother earth was ready to swallow us up, or the volcano baru had finally awakened and began to erupt. What a sensation! This happened four times yesterday. It makes one wonder what vibes animals get during natural disasters, before we humans do. At least i'm not having to worry about the hurricanes in Miami anymore!" Cool. Animals often sense things we humans miss. So, if you want an earthquake early warning sensor, consider a cage full of parrots. Squawk! Polly want a helmet!

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — A strongly felt earthquake shook Panama and parts of Costa Rica on Wednesday, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or major damage. The quake hit at 11:24 a.m. local time (1724 GMT, 1:24 p.m. EDT), sending panicked people running out of buildings in the Costa Rica port city of Golfito and knocking items from shelves in several southern towns.The magnitude 5.7 quake was centered 58 miles (94 kilometers) west of David, Panama, more than 200 miles (300 kilometers) from San Jose, the Costa Rican capital, said the U.S. Geological Survey. "It was pretty strong and caused a scare but so far we've only had calls to report minor damage from items falling," said Luis Madrigal of the Red Cross in the Costa Rican city of San Vito de Coto Brus, near the epicenter. A magnitude 6.1 earthquake in January left 23 dead in Costa Rica.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - According to the US geological survey, an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale was registered 59 miles WNW of David, Panama. The earthquake occurred at 4:03 pm local time and was centered in Costa Rica near the border with Panama. The epicenter was located at geo coordinates 8.633°N, 83.276°W at a depth of 10 kilometers. It was located 95 km (59 miles) WNW (284°) from David, Panama, 137 km (85 miles) SW (235°) from Bocas del Toro, Panama, 155 km (96 miles) S (191°) from Limon, Costa Rica, 173 km (108 miles) SSE (150°) from SAN JOSE, Costa Rica. Reports from locals who felt it said "this one was much stronger than the other three that we felt earlier in the day."

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Now receiving information that another earthquake just hit the area near the Panama - Costa Rica border that was even stronger than the three earthquakes that struck at around noon today. There were three smaller earthquakes, one 5.7, one 6.0 and a third, but according to reports the one that just hit minutes ago was even stronger than the first three. Reports from the airport in Changuinola say that the people who were there in the terminal building ran outside because they were afraid that the building was going to fall down (it didn't.) Technical details when they become available. If you felt it please email your experiences to don@panama-guide.com. Thanks.

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - According to the United States Geological Survey, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 on the Richter Scale struck the area of Golfito in Costa Rica at 12:24 pm local time today, 11 March 2009. Paul Foguth, who lives in Tisingal, just a short distance from the border with Costa Rica in Panama, said "we felt the earthquake here in Volcan - it was over by Golfito in Costa Rica." The earthquake's center was located at geo coordinates 8.569°N, 83.278°W at a depth of 10 kilometers, placing it 15 km (10 miles) WSW of Golfito, Costa Rica, 95 km (60 miles) W of David, Panama, 140 km (90 miles) SW of Bocas del Toro, Panama, 175 km (110 miles) SSE of SAN JOSE, Costa Rica. Earthquakes are common in the border area between Panama and Costa Rica. Most of the activity is exactly like this event - strong enough to feel but small enough to not cause any significant damage or loss of life.

Copyright 2008 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com - Panama's National Civil Defense System (SINAPROC) reported today an earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale shook the border region between Panama and Costa Rica at 1:10 am this morning. According to reports from the Seismological Network of the Geo Sciences Institute of the University of Panama, this earthquake was centered at coordinates 8.35 degrees North, 83.0 degrees West, and at a depth of 10 kilometers. The movement was felt strongest in the western most parts of the Republic of Panama, specifically in David, Puerto Armuelles, Bugaba, Boquerón, and the highlands. In Costa Rica it was strongly felt in the southern zone, the central valley, Turrialba, Siquirres and Sarapiquí. Preliminary reports coming in from the SINAPROC offices in Chiriquí indicate that at least 18 houses were affected with cracks in the walls, and one house was destroyed in Barú. (Received via email: "The U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey would like you to report your experience with the earthquake on Tuesdaynight/Wednesday morning (18/19 November 2008). Here is the link to do so: usgs.gov. For those in Volcan area, our city is not listed in the choices offered. I used the nearest which was Rio Sereno and asked them to update their choices. They take each of our reports and prepare a digital profile of each report so that the results can be aggregated for the event. Richard."

Copyright 2008, by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com.

La Critica - An earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale was felt in the early morning hours throughout the provinces of Colón and Panama. According to a report from the Instituto de Geociencias (Geo Sciences Institute) of the University of Panama the quake hit at 12:31 am and was felt in the provinces of Colón and Panamá. The quake was centered five kilometers underground and caused no injuries or damage.

Editor's Comment: I submitted a report to the USGS "Did You Feel It" website on this minor earthquake which was widely reported and felt here in Panama, but was not being reflected on the USGS worldwide activity site. Small earthquakes are common in Panama and usually they are just like this - enough to feel but not enough to cause damage.

Tiembla en Colón y Panamá

REDACCION | CRITICAENLINEA

Un temblor de 4,6 grados en la escala de Richter se dejó sentir esta madrugada en la provincia de Colón.

Según informes del Instituto de Geociencias de la Universidad de Panamá el temblor se registró a las 12.31 de la madrugada y fue sentido en las provincias de Colón y Panamá.

El epicentro del sismo, que tuvo una profundidad de 5 kilómetros, no causo víctimas ni daños materiales.

PANAMA CITY, June 17 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake of 5.8 degrees on the Richter scale struck Tuesday the south west zone of Panama, while other seism was registered on the same day in Costa Rica. Panamanian earthquake occurred at 11:42 a.m. local time (1742 GMT) with the epicenter about 376 kilometers south from the city of David in the province of Chiriqui, some 556 kilometers far from Panama City, the United Sates Geologic Institute said. The earthquake had a deepness of 10 kilometers, according to the report. Meanwhile, the Volcanologist and Seismology Observatory (Ovsicori) of Costa Rica reported an earthquake of 5.3 degrees on the Richter scale in the South of Costa Rica, near the border with Panama at 11:42 a.m. local time (1742 GMT).