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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Panama

Panama ranks 40th of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - a moderately seismically active country. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

704
M4+ events (since 2005)
106
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.5
Strongest
~34
M4+ per year

The verdict

Panama has logged 704 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 106 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.5.

#40
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
704
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M7.5
strongest earthquake on record
106
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.7 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Panama by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

What this shows Panama's most active year for major earthquakes was 1933 (4 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2025

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 106 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Panama.

M7.0-7.9

5

4.7%

M6.0-6.9

101

95.3%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 106 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 19 km.

Shallow (<70 km)

106

100.0% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Deep (>300 km)

0

0.0% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Panama

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
7.5 44 km ESE of Burica, Panama 30.0 km
7.3 33 km SSW of Boca de Cupé, Panama 12.0 km
7.2 45 km SW of Quebrada de Piedra, Panama 10.0 km
7.2 59 km SSE of Burica, Panama 25.0 km
7.0 12 km SSE of Jaqué, Panama 3.0 km
7.0 56 km SSE of Cambutal, Panama 20.0 km
6.8 146 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.8 228 km WSW of Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.8 78 km S of Boca Chica, Panama 30.0 km
6.8 20 km SSE of Guarumal, Panama 25.0 km

Significant earthquake record (106 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Panama since 1900, most recent first.

Mag Location Depth
6.2 206 km S of Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.2 124 km SSE of Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.5 45 km NE of Puerto Obaldía, Panama 13.0 km
6.3 73 km S of Boca Chica, Panama 16.0 km
6.7 60 km SSW of Boca Chica, Panama 20.0 km
6.0 281 km SW of Arenas, Panama 8.0 km
6.7 71 km S of Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.1 135 km S of Burica, Panama 4.1 km
6.1 154 km SSE of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.2 4 km SE of Aserrío de Gariché, Panama 32.6 km
6.0 1 km W of Breñón, Panama 19.0 km
6.5 236 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 8.0 km
6.6 22 km ESE of Punta de Burica, Panama 20.0 km
6.0 15 km ESE of Punta de Burica, Panama 15.0 km
6.5 110 km SE of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.0 33 km SSW of Boca Chica, Panama 25.0 km
6.3 278 km SW of Arenas, Panama 7.0 km
6.1 143 km SSE of Punta de Burica, Panama 12.0 km
6.0 147 km SSE of Punta de Burica, Panama 18.0 km
6.1 4 km NNW of El Porvenir, Panama 38.0 km
6.3 259 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 9.0 km
6.3 11 km W of Puerto Armuelles, Panama 32.0 km
6.1 163 km SW of Río Grande, Panama 7.4 km
6.1 76 km S of Boca Chica, Panama 10.0 km
6.0 154 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 7.0 km
6.1 142 km SSE of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.5 256 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 18.0 km
6.1 2 km S of Finca Blanco, Panama 29.2 km
6.5 3 km SSE of Progreso, Panama 33.0 km
6.2 124 km SSE of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.0 20 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.5 14 km SE of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.1 33 km NE of Changuinola, Panama 10.0 km
6.1 45 km SSE of Punta de Burica, Panama 24.5 km
6.1 224 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.1 7 km SE of Narganá, Panama 65.0 km
6.2 269 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.3 245 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.1 53 km SSW of Boca Chica, Panama 33.0 km
6.0 137 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 11.7 km
6.3 86 km S of Boca Chica, Panama 17.8 km
6.2 16 km NE of Changuinola, Panama 10.0 km
6.0 71 km NE of Mulatupo, Panama 36.1 km
6.0 234 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.3 136 km SSW of Río Grande, Panama 19.3 km
6.5 127 km SSE of Punta de Burica, Panama 9.6 km
6.2 124 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.0 170 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.3 229 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.3 32 km E of Mulatupo, Panama 37.7 km
6.2 80 km NNW of Portobelo, Panama 32.8 km
6.0 95 km S of Boca Chica, Panama 10.0 km
6.1 11 km WSW of Puerto Armuelles, Panama 39.1 km
6.8 146 km S of Punta de Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.5 9 km WNW of Puerto Armuelles, Panama 28.0 km
6.1 116 km S of Boca Chica, Panama 10.0 km
6.1 85 km NNE of San Ignacio de Tupile, Panama 35.0 km
7.0 12 km SSE of Jaqué, Panama 3.0 km
6.7 39 km WSW of Jaqué, Panama 22.0 km
7.3 33 km SSW of Boca de Cupé, Panama 12.0 km
6.2 274 km SSW of Río Grande, Panama 25.2 km
6.1 277 km S of Burica, Panama 20.6 km
6.3 63 km SSW of Quebrada de Piedra, Panama 20.0 km
6.2 239 km SW of Burica, Panama 10.0 km
6.8 78 km S of Boca Chica, Panama 30.0 km
7.2 59 km SSE of Burica, Panama 25.0 km
6.5 14 km SSE of Burica, Panama 25.0 km
6.3 70 km WSW of Río Grande, Panama 25.0 km
6.0 163 km S of Burica, Panama 15.0 km
6.1 284 km SW of Arenas, Panama 15.0 km
6.4 156 km S of Burica, Panama 25.0 km
6.3 64 km SSE of Burica, Panama 20.0 km
6.2 45 km SE of Burica, Panama 25.0 km
6.4 261 km S of Burica, Panama 35.0 km
6.0 134 km SSE of Burica, Panama 15.0 km
6.3 122 km SW of Jaqué, Panama 10.0 km
6.6 15 km WSW of Arenas, Panama 54.4 km
6.1 10 km WNW of Finca Blanco, Panama 35.0 km
6.1 139 km SW of Río Grande, Panama 15.0 km
6.5 3 km SW of Santo Tomás, Panama 34.4 km
7.0 56 km SSE of Cambutal, Panama 20.0 km
6.3 290 km SSW of Arenas, Panama 12.5 km
6.1 135 km SW of Río Grande, Panama 15.0 km
6.3 19 km NNW of Portobelo, Panama 35.0 km
6.8 20 km SSE of Guarumal, Panama 25.0 km
6.6 8 km SSW of Burica, Panama 20.0 km
7.5 44 km ESE of Burica, Panama 30.0 km
6.0 36 km SE of Burica, Panama 25.0 km
6.2 29 km W of Burica, Panama 25.0 km
6.2 78 km S of Burica, Panama 15.0 km
6.3 251 km SSW of Río Grande, Panama 15.0 km
6.0 99 km SE of Burica, Panama 15.0 km
6.7 260 km SSW of Arenas, Panama 10.0 km
6.6 97 km SSE of Burica, Panama 15.0 km
6.1 136 km S of Burica, Panama 15.0 km
6.4 19 km SSE of Camogantí, Panama 15.0 km
6.2 66 km NNE of Kusapín, Panama 15.0 km
6.0 135 km SSE of Burica, Panama 15.0 km
6.3 192 km S of Burica, Panama 15.0 km
6.2 75 km SSE of Pedasí, Panama 15.0 km

Showing the first 100 of 106 significant events.

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Panama.

Nepal

694 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Costa Rica

715 M4+ events · strongest M7.6

M7.6

Micronesia

671 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

Kyrgyzstan

624 M4+ events · strongest M6.7

M6.7

Italy

608 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

Wallis and Futuna

805 M4+ events · strongest M6.7

M6.7

Understand the data

How earthquakes are measured

Magnitude scales, seismographs, and depth.

Reading earthquake data

Interpreting magnitude, depth and frequency.

Earthquake preparedness

Before, during and after a quake.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Panama? ▼
The USGS catalog records 704 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Panama since 2005, an average of about 34 per year. Separately, 106 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Panama? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Panama measured magnitude 7.5. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.7 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Panama? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Panama ranks 40th of 215 countries worldwide - a moderately seismically active country. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1933, with 4.
How deep are earthquakes in Panama? ▼
Across the 106 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 19 km. 100% were shallow (under 70 km), where surface shaking is strongest at a given magnitude.
Where does this data come from? ▼
Every figure is derived from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward (the period of consistent global completeness); the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900. Nothing is modelled or estimated.

About this data

Every figure on this page is computed directly from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), the public-domain record maintained by the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Two series are combined: a worldwide catalog of magnitude-4.0-and-above events from 2005 onward, the period over which the global seismograph network reliably detects and locates earthquakes everywhere, and a historical series of significant magnitude-6.0-and-above events stretching back to 1900. Magnitudes use the moment-magnitude scale (Mw), the modern standard that supersedes the older Richter scale; because the scale is logarithmic, each whole step represents roughly thirty-two times more energy released. Depth is measured in kilometres from the surface, and shallow earthquakes generally produce stronger shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. Counts reflect what instruments recorded, not every tremor that occurred, and recent events can be revised as seismologists refine the catalog.

Source: USGS ComCat, verify with USGS → · See our methodology for the full pipeline.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is an informational reference for informational purposes only, not an emergency or early-warning service, and not professional engineering or safety advice. For official alerts and guidance, consult the USGS and your local emergency authorities. See our full disclaimer.