Strong 6.1 magnitude earthquake hits Panama: USGS

WASHINGTON: A 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit Panama on Sunday near the border with Costa Rica, the US Geological Survey said, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The quake struck at a depth of 37 kilometers (23 miles) in the far west of the country and the closest town was Santa Cruz, about five km away, it said.

There was no tsunami alert issued from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and USGS said there was a low likelihood of casualties and damage.

In November 2017 a 6.5-magnitude quake on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica left buildings swaying in the capital San Jose and contributed to the deaths of two people who had heart attacks.

Further north, two months earlier in September 2017 a 7.1-magnitude earthquake killed more than 300 people in Mexico.