Magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes Panama, damaging buildings and roads
publishers 65articles 70first reported 9 Oct, 16:13 UTCdeveloping since 10 Oct · 11 editionstop 25 #11
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck southern Panama on Friday, damaging buildings and roads, prompting evacuations and triggering tsunami warnings across parts of Central and South America.
The U.S. Geological Survey placed the epicenter about 10 to 12 kilometers southwest of Pitaloza Arriba near Panama’s Pacific coast, at a depth of roughly 10 to 12.6 kilometers. A magnitude 6.6 quake followed about two and a half hours later, along with dozens of other aftershocks.
Omar Smith of the National Civil Protection Service said damage was concentrated in Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos provinces. He reported several injuries, including a person struck by debris in Penonomé. Damage included partial building collapses, deep fissures in roads and harm to government, hotel, health and religious buildings. Local outlets reported that the historic Church of San Atanasio in Los Santos collapsed.
President José Raúl Mulino described the earthquake as a “major disaster” and urged residents to remain calm. Schools and government offices suspended operations. Tocumen International Airport briefly halted flights and initiated evacuation procedures before reopening, while the Panama Canal Authority said canal operations continued normally.
Tsunami alerts were initially issued for coastlines including Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico, but the threat was later declared over. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the State Department was mobilizing personnel and resources at Panama’s request.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 7 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 12 h after the record first saw the story; the editor revised it.
- Publishers
- 65
- Source articles
- 70
- Given to the writer
- 8, 7 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 12 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: The story needs tighter sourcing and one casualty sentence adjusted to avoid overstating a disputed Friday-evening count. - "at a depth of roughly 10 to 13 kilometers": The sources specify depths of 10 kilometers or 12.6 kilometers, but not a range up to 13 kilometers. - "Panamanian officials said damage was concentrated in Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos provinces.": This was reported by Omar Smith of the National Civil Protection Service, not broadly by unspecified Panamanian officials. - "Authorities reported several injuries, including a person struck by debris in Penonomé, but no deaths were reported by Friday evening.": Sources conflict on whether any injuries were documented by Friday evening; CBS says Mulino said no one killed or injured as of Friday evening, while other sources cite Smith reporting several injuries.
THE DRAFT AND THE CHANGES
Magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes Panama, damaging buildings and roads
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck southern Panama on Friday, damaging buildings and roads, prompting evacuations and triggering tsunami warnings across parts of Central and South America.
The U.S. Geological Survey placed the epicenter about 10 to 12 kilometers southwest of Pitaloza Arriba near Panama’s Pacific coast, at a depth of roughly 10 to 1312.6 kilometers. A magnitude 6.6 quake followed about two and a half hours later, along with dozens of other aftershocks.
PanamanianOmar officialsSmith of the National Civil Protection Service said damage was concentrated in Veraguas, Herrera and Los Santos provinces. AuthoritiesHe reported several injuries, including a person struck by debris in Penonomé, but no deaths were reported by Friday evening.Penonomé. Damage included partial building collapses, deep fissures in roads and harm to government, hotel, health and religious buildings. Local outlets reported that the historic Church of San Atanasio in Los Santos collapsed.
President José Raúl Mulino described the earthquake as a “major disaster” and urged residents to remain calm. Schools and government offices suspended operations. Tocumen International Airport briefly halted flights and initiated evacuation procedures before reopening, while the Panama Canal Authority said canal operations continued normally.
Tsunami alerts were initially issued for coastlines including Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico, but the threat was later declared over. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the State Department was mobilizing personnel and resources at Panama’s request.
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 →