The U.S. Department of State committed $5 million in humanitarian assistance for Panama following the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that shook the country on Friday, as the agency itself confirmed in an official statement this Saturday.
The earthquake, with its epicenter in the province of Herrera on the Azuero Peninsula, is one of the most powerful recorded in Panama in decades and has left at least 27 people injured with minor injuries, with no confirmed fatalities so far.
U.S. funds will be allocated to organizations that coordinate relief efforts on the ground. Along with the financial disbursement, Washington deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) and two Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) technical teams with 20 specialists in total, who arrived in Panama within 24 hours after the earthquake.
Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) provided logistical support with a Chinook CH-47 helicopter to transport tents and supplies to the Azuero regions, while the Department of State also authorized the use of two helicopters from the INL program of the Panamanian Air and Naval Service for relief efforts.
The ambassador Kevin Cabrera maintained direct contact with the Panamanian president José Raúl Mulino to coordinate the damage assessment and the emergency response.
The Secretary of State Marco Rubio summarized Washington's stance with a brief statement: "The United States stands with the people of Panama."
This Saturday, the Panamanian government declared a state of emergency and announced an initial fund of 100 million dollars for direct crisis response.
The Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac, requested the public to "remain calm" and assured: "I know these are difficult times, have complete confidence, we are working for you, and today with the emergency declaration decree, we are quickly starting to activate that assistance."
The material damage is considerable: 426 damaged homes and about 2,130 displaced individuals, according to the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc). The provinces of Los Santos, Herrera, Veraguas, and Coclé are experiencing the greatest impact, primarily in rural areas.
The infrastructure also suffered significant damage: 419 educational centers, 20 health facilities, 26 government buildings, 13 churches, seven hotels, and nine bridges were affected.
Classes and administrative activities have been suspended nationwide, and educational authorities will determine the continuation of schooling on Monday.
By Friday night, around 147 aftershocks had been recorded, some with magnitudes of 6.6 and 6.1, according to the director of the Emergency Operations Center, René García.
The U.S. support was complemented by a multilateral response: the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) activated contingent financing of up to 300 million dollars and 500,000 dollars in non-reimbursable funds, while the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) approved an immediate grant of 250,000 dollars and a credit line of up to 50 million for the reconstruction of public infrastructure.
"The IDB Group stands with the Panamanian people during this difficult time. These resources will enable the Government to quickly assist the affected families and plan for recovery," stated the president of the organization, Ilan Goldfajn.
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