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A strong magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck southern Panama on Friday, prompting potential tsunami threats across parts of Central and South America, according to the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Tsunami Warning System.
The U.S. Geological Survey, or USGS, initially estimated the earthquake at magnitude 8.0 before downgrading it to 7.6.
The quake struck about 10 kilometers, or 6.2 miles, west-southwest of Pitaloza Arriba at a depth of 10 kilometers.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System listed potential tsunami threats for Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
The earthquake was felt in Panama City and in the capital of neighboring Costa Rica, according to Reuters witnesses.
Television footage from Panama showed people evacuating buildings following the earthquake.
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