OFFICIAL
Earthquake
Panama (Update)
On 13 October 2026, it was reported that 1,744 houses had been assessed and 6,174 people affected following the magnitude 7.6 earthquake on 9 October, with its epicenter in Los Santos province. According to the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC, per its acronym in Spanish), as of 12 October, 656 educational centers had sustained damage ranging from minor structural damage to total collapse, 598 people were housed in 14 shelters, and 27 people had sustained minor injuries. No deaths or missing persons were reported. In Veraguas, damage was reported to 420 houses, 196 educational centers, 22 health centers, and 10 churches; in Coclé, 318 residences were affected; in Herrera, 302 houses sustained partial damage, five communities remained isolated, and three hospitals reported partial damage; and in Chiriquí, 139 educational centers were affected, 28 houses were destroyed, and two water tanks collapsed. At Santo Tomás Hospital in Panama City, more than 40 patients were preventively evacuated from the former maternity ward due to structural damage. On 10 October, the Government declared a state of emergency and authorized up to USD 100 million for humanitarian assistance, infrastructure repairs, and reconstruction. Response operations involved 1,100 SINAPROC personnel and volunteers, 460 firefighters, and the air transport of more than 66,140 pounds of humanitarian assistance and 170 tonnes of water to affected communities and hospitals. Additionally, a magnitude 6.1 aftershock was recorded in south-central Panama on 12 October. The reports are available from: SINAPROC and Telemetro.
Wildfires
Peru
On 12 October 2026, the National Institute of Civil Defence (INDECI, per its acronym in Spanish), through the National Emergency Operations Centre (COEN), reported that authorities were responding to 13 wildfires recorded between 11 and 12 October across the regions of Apurímac, Amazonas, Arequipa, Puno, Moquegua, Ayacucho, and Cusco. Preliminary assessments indicated damage to livestock and natural vegetation, while one person sustained burns in the district of Acopia and was receiving treatment at the Regional Hospital of Cusco. Wildfires during the first week of October resulted in six deaths, five in Cusco and one in Puno. In Cusco, approximately 280 wildfires have been recorded in 2026, affecting an estimated 16,000 hectares of vegetation. Additionally, INDECI reported a national total of 58 active wildfires across Cusco, Ayacucho, Apurímac, Junín, Áncash, Arequipa, and Cajamarca. The Ministry of Defence deployed military personnel and aircraft to support firefighting operations in Ayacucho and Cusco. The reports are available from: INDECI and El Comercio.