Powerful earthquake damages buildings and roads across Panama
publishers 51articles 62first reported 2 Oct, 19:57 UTCdeveloping since 3 Oct · 18 editionstop 25 #18
A powerful earthquake struck southern Panama on Friday, damaging homes, churches, hotels, public buildings and roads and prompting tsunami warnings along parts of Central and South America’s Pacific coast.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at magnitude 7.6 or 7.7 after initially estimating it at 8.0. Panama’s geological institute recorded a magnitude of 7.2. The epicenter was in Herrera Province, according to the USGS, while Panama’s Institute of Geosciences said the quake struck near the southern town of Tonosí, and strong shaking was felt in Panama City, Costa Rica and parts of Colombia.
Panamanian authorities reported injuries but no immediate fatalities. Damage was concentrated in the central provinces of Los Santos, Herrera and Veraguas. In Penonomé, a cathedral tower and several residential balconies collapsed, while roads in affected areas developed large fissures. Tonosí was cut off by road, and a damaged water plant in Chitré was operating at about 20% capacity, according to Colombia One.
Residents evacuated homes, schools and businesses as aftershocks continued. Schools were closed nationwide, two Panama City Metro lines were temporarily suspended, and Tocumen International Airport halted flights for several hours before operations resumed. The Panama Canal and passage of ships through the trade waterway were not affected.
Tsunami authorities warned that hazardous waves were possible along Panama and several neighboring Pacific coasts. President José Raúl Mulino visited affected areas as emergency teams assessed structures and coordinated relief operations.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 6 with the publisher's own text; 7 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 186 h after the record first saw the story; the editor revised it.
- Publishers
- 51
- Source articles
- 62
- Given to the writer
- 8, 6 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 7
- This version written
- 186 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- revised
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and changed it before publication. Struck words were in the draft; underlined words are its corrections.
WHAT IT FLAGGED editor revise: Several specific details needed correction or narrower wording to match the sources. - "The U.S. Geological Survey measured the shallow quake at magnitude 7.6 to 7.7 after initially estimating it at 8.0.": Sources report the USGS revised the quake to either 7.6 or 7.7, not a range of 7.6 to 7.7 as a single measurement. - "The epicenter was in or near Herrera Province, close to the southern town of Tonosí": The sources do not support 'in or near Herrera Province' together with 'close to Tonosí'; USGS placed it in Herrera Province while the Panamanian institute said it struck near Tonosí. - "Damage was concentrated in the central provinces of Los Santos, Herrera, Veraguas and Coclé.": The sources support damage concentrated in Los Santos, Herrera and Veraguas, while Coclé is not included in the quoted concentration and Penonomé damage alone does not support province-wide concentration. - "In Penonomé, part of a cathedral and several residential balconies collapsed": The sources say the tower of a cathedral or historic building collapsed and several balconies of a residential building collapsed; 'part of a cathedral' is imprecise enough to imply broader cathedral collapse. - "Tonosí was cut off by road, and damage to a water plant in Chitré reduced it to about 20% capacity, according to Colombia One.": Colombia One says the plant was operating at 20% capacity after damage, but does not state the damage reduced it to that level. - "The Panama Canal and ship traffic were not affected.": The source says the Panama Canal and passage of ships through the canal were not affected; 'ship traffic' broadly could imply all shipping traffic.
THE DRAFT AND THE CHANGES
Powerful earthquake damages buildings and roads across Panama
A powerful earthquake struck southern Panama on Friday, damaging homes, churches, hotels, public buildings and roads and prompting tsunami warnings along parts of Central and South America’s Pacific coast.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured the shallow quake at magnitude 7.6 toor 7.7 after initially estimating it at 8.0. Panama’s geological institute recorded a magnitude of 7.2. The epicenter was in or near Herrera Province, closeaccording to the USGS, while Panama’s Institute of Geosciences said the quake struck near the southern town of Tonosí, and strong shaking was felt in Panama City, Costa Rica and parts of Colombia.
Panamanian authorities reported injuries but no immediate fatalities. Damage was concentrated in the central provinces of Los Santos, Herrera, VeraguasHerrera and Coclé.Veraguas. In Penonomé, part of a cathedral tower and several residential balconies collapsed, while roads in affected areas developed large fissures. Tonosí was cut off by road, and damagea to adamaged water plant in Chitré reducedwas itoperating toat about 20% capacity, according to Colombia One.
Residents evacuated homes, schools and businesses as aftershocks continued. Schools were closed nationwide, two Panama City Metro lines were temporarily suspended, and Tocumen International Airport halted flights for several hours before operations resumed. The Panama Canal and shippassage trafficof ships through the trade waterway were not affected.
Tsunami authorities warned that hazardous waves were possible along Panama and several neighboring Pacific coasts. President José Raúl Mulino visited affected areas as emergency teams assessed structures and coordinated relief operations.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →