tallman33

What is the biggest earthquake that ever happened in Panama? How big was it?

Lalaguayaba

According to the basic history available online, there hasn't been an earthquake directly in Panama suitable for historical significance. Despite having a dormant volcano (Baru) and a location on the fault lines between three plates, there just doesn't seem to be much serious activity; probably because most quakes are sited miles offshore and don't go much higher than a 5 Richter. Richter magnitude scale - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia As you can see, the planet basically ignores anything under a 6, merely because they don't cause much damage.
List of earthquakes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Image:Pacific Ring of Fire.png - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Caribbean Plate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cocos Plate

Cheers.

tallman33

I would of thought Panama had more earthquakes. I was curious because I hadn't heard about any. I guess I hadn't heard about any because there aren't any to hear about.

Thanks for the information and the links.

MRWOOHOO

There is actually an arch in a church(200yrs old) in the old part of Panama city , no cement holding it together, no stone has ever fallen out of it.

expatplayer

So that is evidence that there aren't many bad earthquakes, right?

MRWOOHOO

That is what I was told, no guarantees.

Lalaguayaba

Arch construction is thousands of years old because it works; and yes, this is evidence that Panama has not experienced any gnarly earthquakes since the original Spanish construction.

An intro to the basic physics behind arch construction and causes of stress failure:

Arch - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cheers.

nuaeman

yehaa it would be a very safety place for the tourist..
how with about tsunami?
is it have ever happen?

Lalaguayaba

Any tsunami activity would be noticeable on the Pacific coast, but it is rather undeveloped--so, should one even hit the area, it would likely only get Panama City...

The northern, Caribbean coast, is too well protected by islands and reefs for a tsunami to make much of an impact.

Cheers.

nuaeman

owh, so panama is safe from tsunami?
do you have any evidence to prove that?

Lalaguayaba

There have been no reports of tsunami activity anywhere in popularly available sources of Panamanian history. Feel free to look for some, and let us know what you find.

Cheers.

nuaeman

owh so anyone can get in panama beach without feel worry.

Lalaguayaba

Yes--feel free to go to any beach in Panama without any worries that a tsunami will hit...

I'd worry more about mosquitoes on the Caribbean coast, and rocky beaches on the Pacific side--but those are two things that one can plan for...

Cheers.

nuaeman

Thanks Lala , Good news for me actually as I think want to be there soon. Maybe after complete some of my job then I want to bring my wife and kids go to vacation.

zhinghur

I didn't know this much about "How safe Panama is " . Thanks Lala for the info. Hope to catch you all there, soon.

ankuranks

well thanks, that was good bit of information,i'll make sure not to drive near baru when i'll visit panama.

tarzan95959

About 6 years ago a earthquake hit near Bocas Del Toro . About 4.5 I think . I was staying at a local resort at that time . Anyway I had gone to bed early and ran out the front door of my cabin that faced the local "open air resort restaurant" . The resort owner was trying to get the patons out and they all had a good laugh at me in my Boxer Shorts . It was swaying pretty good . Later I heard a small tidal wave hit one of the local islands that was filming the Survirors TV show . It was about 2-3 feet high and washed everything into the protected side of the island and water .

Lalaguayaba

Right on! A 4.5 quake is really, really minor--they're the usual magnitude of the ones that hit southern California on a regular basis. But, if you're not used to them, they are totally scary! The first one I went through had me on the phone to my mom in seconds flat! Running around in boxers is also a way to judge your fright level.

Cheers.

melodye

The largest earthquake I have experienced in Panama was 6.8. Several others were 6.4 and all these were centered near or in the Chiriqui province.

Lalaguayaba

Yup...volcano = earthquakes

Now that there is so much more building going on in Panama, and lots more gringo expats, we're likely to hear more about any seismic activity that goes one there...

Cheers.

melodye

None of the earthquakes I experienced were centered near the volcano. The volcano has been very quiet. Most of the earthquakes I have felt were centered just off the coast near one of the three (or is it 4?) plates in that area.

Lalaguayaba

Volcanoes are examples of seismic activity; California, for instance doesn't have any active volcanoes, but it did until a few eons ago. You may find earthquakes without volcanoes, but you will never find a volcano without earthquakes--they are usually just too mild for most to notice.

Cheers.