This morning at around 7:45 a.m., noticeable shaking could also be felt in Costa del Este. It was caused by a strong earthquake with its epicenter in Colombia, which was felt in various parts of Panama as well.
At the time, my wife and I were in the swimming pool on the rooftop of our high-rise building. Suddenly she said, “It’s shaking, it’s shaking.” At first, I had not noticed anything myself. Only after getting out of the pool did I realize that the building had actually been moving.
We then took the stairs back to our apartment. Since the shaking had stopped, I first took a shower. A little later, however, we looked out of the window and saw a different picture: groups of people had gathered outside several of the surrounding high-rise buildings. Apparently, many residents had left their buildings.
At that point, I began to feel a little uneasy. So I got dressed and we also went downstairs using the stairwell. There we learned that the cause had been a strong earthquake in Colombia.
We are now back in our apartment and everything is quiet.
Earthquakes are probably not among the first things people think about when considering a move to Panama. Those coming from Germany usually have very little personal experience with situations like this.
Nevertheless, even in Costa del Este you have to expect that an earthquake somewhere in the region may occasionally be felt, particularly in a high-rise building. This does not mean that people here live with a constant serious risk. But when the floor or the building suddenly starts moving, you quickly realize that earthquakes are among the natural events that can also be experienced in Panama.
Update – August 12, 2026
Putting the earthquake into context
The epicenter of the magnitude 7.4 earthquake was near San José del Palmar in Colombia's Chocó Department, approximately 400 kilometers from Costa del Este. What was felt in Costa del Este was therefore the effect of a powerful earthquake at a considerable distance. While our personal experience here ultimately ended without serious consequences despite the shock, the earthquake had dramatic effects in Colombia: Buildings were destroyed or severely damaged in various affected regions, people were injured, and fatalities were reported.
In light of these consequences, our own experience in Costa del Este takes on a different perspective. My thoughts are with the people in Colombia who lost loved ones, were injured, or lost their homes or property in the earthquake.
Could something like this also happen in Costa del Este?
Panama City and Costa del Este are not free from earthquakes. Central Panama has active geological faults, and stronger earthquakes have occurred in the Panama City area in the past. Modern buildings in Panama are designed with seismic loads in mind; Panama's current REP-2021 code contains corresponding structural-design requirements. The actual earthquake safety of a particular building, however, depends on factors including its age, structural design, quality of construction, and local ground conditions. A high-rise swaying noticeably during a distant earthquake does not automatically mean that it is structurally at risk: High-rise buildings are designed with a certain degree of flexibility. This does not, however, provide a safety guarantee for any individual building.