Panama City, October 09 (QNA) - A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Panama today, felt by residents of the capital and other provinces, as well as in parts of neighboring Colombia.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake occurred at a depth of 12.6 kilometers, with its epicenter 12 kilometers west-southwest of the town of Pitaloza Arriba in Herrera province.

Media reports indicated that homes and buildings were damaged in several provinces. The education ministry ordered schools nationwide to close, while the Panama canal authority confirmed that navigation operations remained unaffected.

Director of Panama's national civil protection system Omar Smith Gallardo said the damage was concentrated in the provinces of Veraguas, Herrera, and Los Santos. He added that authorities were continuing to assess damage in areas near the epicenter and that no casualties had been reported immediately.

Following the earthquake, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned of possible tsunamis and hazardous waves along parts of the coasts of Panama, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Mexico. It also indicated a potential tsunami threat to Hawaii. (QNA)