SONÁ DISTRICT, Veraguas Province — A 5.6 magnitude quake occurred close to Río Grande on Friday afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

At 20:28 UTC (15:28 local time), a tremor hit the area at a depth of 10 km, with its epicenter approximately 13 km west-northwest of Río Grande.

Did you feel it?

If you experienced the earthquake, you can share your observations using the USGS Felt Report form.

Impact and estimated losses

The USGS categorized this as a Green Alert, which means there is a low likelihood of casualties and damage. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides and liquefaction that might have contributed to losses.

Structure information summary

Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are a mix of vulnerable and earthquake resistant construction. The predominant vulnerable building types are mud wall and informal (metal, timber, GI etc.) construction.

Tremors past week

Last week, the area has experienced four tremors of magnitude 2.5 or above. The strongest, a 5.2 magnitude quake, hit in the same region prior to this quake.

The four largest earthquakes nearby in the last week:

• 5.2, southeast of Río Grande on Oct. 9
• 5.0, southeast of Río Grande on Oct. 9
• 4.9, south of Leones Arriba on Oct. 9
• 4.9, southwest of Tebario on Oct. 9

Area struck by 7.6 quake in 1991
The area has weathered major earthquakes before. A magnitude 7.6 tremor struck 21.1 miles south of Limón in Limón on Apr. 22, 1991, at a depth of 6.2 miles.

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey