Damage to Homes Schools and Public Buildings in Chiriquí is Identified in Panama by COE.

The Provincial Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported preliminary damage to homes, educational centers, government buildings and basic service structures in Chiriquí, following the earthquake recorded on Friday, October 9.  According to the report, as of 8:00 a.m. this Sunday, 53 residences have sustained partial damage and 15 have completely collapsed. Additionally, a makeshift shelter remains open, housing 17 people.  In the education sector, assessments identified partial damage in 104 schools and collapse or total damage in three others. Partial damage was also reported in 11 government buildings and one health center, while one polyclinic remains under structural evaluation. 

The damage includes a collapsed water storage tank and another with structural cracks, as well as damage to a water treatment plant and a rural aqueduct. Additionally, a wall collapsed in a supermarket warehouse, eight churches sustained partial damage, and a road was affected.  Given this situation, the Provincial Emergency Operations Committee (COE) recommended that the public remain calm, avoid spreading rumors, and allow access for emergency and assessment teams. It also warned that if a house has severe cracks or structural failures in columns and beams, its occupants should evacuate to a safe area and notify the authorities.  The agency indicated that it is maintaining monitoring and will update the figures as field inspections progress.