Panama Clears 20 Quake Bridges in Veraguas

PANAMA · EARTHQUAKE

Engineers found no bridge at risk of giving way in two districts badly hit by Panama’s earthquake. In Soná, families whose homes were declared unsafe are still camping under tarps.

Panama’s public works ministry (MOP) says all 20 bridges in Veraguas it checked after the 9 October earthquake are safe to use. Thirteen still need repairs, while in the town of Soná families whose homes were declared unsafe are sleeping under tarps.

Soná and Mariato are rural districts on Panama’s Pacific coast, west of the epicentre in Herrera province. Mariato’s beach towns draw foreign visitors and residents, and US search and rescue specialists inspected buildings in Soná on Sunday.

Which Bridges in Veraguas Need Repairs

Panamá América and TVN reported the findings on Wednesday, 14 October, after engineers inspected 20 structures in Mariato and southern Soná. TVN quoted Ramírez Jaramillo of the ministry’s National Bridges Directorate as saying every bridge can be used and none risks coming down.

In Mariato, the list includes bridges over the Palo Seco and Palmilla rivers and the Morrillo and Quebro bridges. In southern Soná, it covers crossings over the Cativé and Caté rivers and the San Juan and San Antonio streams.

Inspectors found settled ground at some bridge approaches and shifted parts on some structures. The bridges still rest on their supports and foundations, with no sign of scour, the erosion that undermines bridge footings.

Planned work includes asphalt on the San Antonio stream bridge, approach repairs and new rubber bearings, joints and wing walls. The ministry, led by Minister José Luis Andrade, says it will order the jobs by complexity and urgency.

Panamá América reported that some structural work will require scheduled partial road closures once the emergency phase ends. Neither outlet gave a cost or a timetable for the repairs.

Families in Soná Still Lack Safe Homes

In Soná, families from the Omar Torrijos neighbourhood are camping under tarps at the town fairground, TVN reported on Wednesday. Inspectors had told them they could not stay inside their damaged houses.

One resident told the channel she had been there since the first day, exposed to rain and sun. A regional health official said more shelters opened on Wednesday morning for people who cannot yet go home.

El Siglo, a Panama City daily, reported on Thursday that Soná families have lost homes, belongings and sometimes their income. A seamstress in the Paraíso neighbourhood said her sewing machines, her only livelihood, were buried in rubble.

Nationwide, 3,696 people were staying in at least 45 shelters on Wednesday, La Prensa reported, citing Sinaproc, the civil protection agency. TVN carried the same shelter figure from the government’s briefing on Wednesday.

One death has been confirmed, a 68-year-old woman from Macaracas in Los Santos province who died in hospital on Wednesday. The Social Security Fund (CSS), Panama’s public health and pensions agency, said she died of injuries from the quake.

Quake Damage Reaches Soná’s Cemetery

The quake brought down several burial vaults at Soná’s municipal cemetery, exposing coffins and remains. TVN reported that Health Ministry staff and local officials have taped off the site to keep the public out.

Under a sanitary protocol, crews are first recovering the exposed remains, then will clear debris and disinfect the grounds. El Siglo said the cemetery will stay under guard until it is safe to reopen.

TVN said families will be contacted about relocating or cremating their relatives’ remains. El Siglo quoted Soná’s mayor as saying remains not relocated within the cemetery will be cremated and returned to families.

Mariato Counts Damage to Roads and Tourism

In Mariato, the coastal communities of Torio and Quebro face damaged roads, destroyed homes and badly damaged hotels, La Prensa reported. The president of Mariato’s tourism chamber, Itzel Rodríguez, said visible government help took several days to arrive.

She said the first help came from residents, foreign residents, companies and people sending aid from Panama City and Santiago. Electricity is back, but drinking water is short and some people are using rivers, the paper reported.

Public works vice-minister Iván de Ycaza said on Monday that Mariato was among the most complex points after the quake. He cited failures on several stretches of road and damage to bridges there, TVN reported.

How Strong the Panama Earthquake Was

The US Geological Survey measured the quake at magnitude 7.7, striking at 12:56 p.m. local time on Friday, 9 October. Panama’s Institute of Geosciences at the University of Panama revised its reading to 7.5, Panamá América and La Estrella reported.

The institute’s director, Néstor Luque, told TVN that damage does not depend only on distance from the epicentre. He said soft soils and filled ground can amplify shaking, while rigid ground mainly transmits it.

The institute has recorded hundreds of aftershocks since the main shock. President José Raúl Mulino’s cabinet declared a national emergency on Saturday, 10 October, freeing up to US$100 million for relief.

What It Means for US Readers

US Army photographs show Los Angeles County search and rescue specialists inspecting damaged buildings in Soná on Sunday, 11 October. Their checks included the town’s Dr. Ezequiel Abadía hospital, and US Ambassador Kevin Marino Cabrera met local leaders that day.

For US visitors heading to the Veraguas coast, the 20 inspected bridges remain usable, but repairs and partial closures will follow. Check road conditions before driving, and expect slower travel in Mariato and southern Soná.

Background on the country is in Panama Explained, and the Panama City guide covers life in the capital. Earlier coverage of the plan for 1,300 new homes explains how the government intends to rebuild.

What Is Not Known

Officials have not said how many families in Soná and Mariato have lost their homes or are in shelters there. The cost and timetable for repairing the 13 bridges have also not been published.

El Siglo gave a count of destroyed vaults in Soná’s cemeteries, but no official figure has been released. A newer national tally of people affected has appeared in one newspaper but has not been confirmed by a second source.

What Comes Next

The public works ministry says it is still coordinating definitive bridge repairs, some needing closures after the emergency phase. House inspections in Soná’s Omar Torrijos neighbourhood and other sectors are continuing, TVN reported.

The government said on Wednesday that debris clearing and new housing had begun in parts of Veraguas, Coclé and Chiriquí. Families in Soná told reporters they are still waiting for help to rebuild.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the bridges in Soná and Mariato safe to cross?

Yes, Panama’s public works ministry says all 20 bridges it inspected can be used and none risks coming down. Thirteen need repairs, which may bring scheduled partial closures.

How strong was the Panama earthquake?

The US Geological Survey measured magnitude 7.7, while Panama’s Institute of Geosciences put it at 7.5. It struck at 12:56 p.m. local time on Friday, 9 October.

Where are displaced families in Soná staying?

Some families whose homes were declared unsafe are camping under tarps at the Soná fairground. Others are in shelters, and at least 45 shelters held 3,696 people nationwide on Wednesday.

Has anyone died in the earthquake?

One death has been confirmed, a 68-year-old woman from Macaracas in Los Santos province. She died in hospital on Wednesday, 14 October, from injuries suffered in the quake.

Is it safe for US tourists to travel to Veraguas?

The inspected bridges are open, but repair work is planned in Mariato and southern Soná. Check local road conditions and official alerts before driving to the coast.

Sources: Panamá América (MOP bridge evaluations); TVN (MOP evaluates 20 bridges); TVN (families at the Soná fairground); TVN (government briefing, shelters); La Prensa (Sinaproc report); TVN (Soná cemetery); El Siglo (Soná cemeteries); El Siglo (Soná families); La Prensa (Torio and Quebro); TVN (Mariato road); TVN (Institute of Geosciences); Panamá América (Institute of Geosciences, 7.5); USGS event page; US Army/DVIDS photo record (Soná hospital inspection); US Army/DVIDS photo record (ambassador in Soná) (all accessed 15 October 2026).