Earthquake · 9 Oct 2026
M6.9 earthquake — 8 km NW of Río Grande, Panama
- Event
- Earthquake
- Magnitude
- M6.9 (Strong)
- Severity
- Extreme
- Time
- (24 days ago)
- Location
- 8 km NW of Río Grande, Panama
- Country
- Panama
- Coordinates
- 7.782°, -81.378°
- Source
- USGS Earthquake Hazards Program
What this means
This was a strong earthquake of magnitude 6.9. Can be destructive in populated areas within tens of kilometers of the epicenter. Around 130 earthquakes of this size occur worldwide each year.
Magnitude measures the energy released at the source. How strongly the ground shook at any particular place depends on distance from the epicenter, the depth of the quake, local geology and building construction, so the same magnitude can be harmless in one place and damaging in another. First magnitudes are preliminary and are often revised by a few tenths as more stations report.
Earthquakes of this size can generate tsunamis when they occur beneath or near the ocean. Coastal communities should follow official tsunami guidance.
Other events within 300 km (±14 days)
- M4.0 earthquake — 2 km S of Valle Rico, Panama — 115 km away, 23 Oct 2026, 01:19 UTC
- M4.0 earthquake — 2 km N of El Cortezo, Panama — 90 km away, 22 Oct 2026, 03:24 UTC
- M4.3 earthquake — 6 km SE of Pitaloza Arriba, Panama — 85 km away, 20 Oct 2026, 22:51 UTC
- M4.5 earthquake — 215 km S of Burica, Panama — 235 km away, 20 Oct 2026, 17:18 UTC
- M5.4 earthquake — 192 km S of Burica, Panama — 209 km away, 20 Oct 2026, 17:05 UTC
- M4.5 earthquake — 0 km NE of Río Grande, Panama — 8 km away, 18 Oct 2026, 16:12 UTC
- M4.1 earthquake — 2 km S of Leones Arriba, Panama — 29 km away, 18 Oct 2026, 06:15 UTC
- M4.3 earthquake — 2 km W of Pedasí, Panama — 149 km away, 18 Oct 2026, 05:00 UTC
- M4.3 earthquake — 3 km NE of Flores, Panama — 114 km away, 17 Oct 2026, 16:24 UTC
- M4.6 earthquake — 12 km SSE of Tebario, Panama — 52 km away, 16 Oct 2026, 22:41 UTC
Smaller earthquakes close in time and space to a larger one are often aftershocks or foreshocks, though GlobalRisk does not classify them.
More from Panama
GlobalRisk has recorded 99 events in or near Panama in the data we hold. See the full Panama risk monitor.
Source and attribution
Source: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. View the original report ↗
GlobalRisk republishes only basic facts (type, time, location, magnitude or alert level) and links to the original report. Details may be revised by the source after this page was generated on 3 Nov 2026, 05:47 UTC.
Related guides
- Earthquake Magnitude Explained: What M4, M6 and M7 Really Mean
- Earthquake Safety: What to Do Before, During and After
For situational awareness only, not an official warning. Follow local authorities. Open the live map